Posted on October, 16, 2018 at 09:33 am
IMPROVEMENT of infrastructure at Igomelo Irrigation scheme in Mbarali, Mbeya has doubled crop production hence benefiting small scale farmers in the area.
This was revealed by the zonal irrigation Engineer Elibariki Mwendo during the visit to the scheme over the weekend.
Engineer Mwendo said that the government through the national irrigation commission under Small Scale Irrigation Development Project (SSIDP) had injected 250,000,000/- under the support of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in order to improve the main canal covering 1345.34 meters at the Igomelo scheme.
He added that farmers at Igomelo scheme contributed 32,000,000/- generated from their operations and maintenance fees which covered the maintenance of 200 meters of the main canal and that the work was completed in July 2018.
Speaking on crop production, Mwendo said that after the improvement of the scheme the production of maize, rice, onions and tomatoes had increased and farmers’ income has also improved tremendously.
Citing examples, he said with the improvement of the scheme maize production had increased from 1.5 to 3.7 tonnes per hector; rice production has increased from 2.0 to 4.0 tonnes per hectors, while onion production has increased from 15.0 to 26.0 tonnes per hector.
Following such increase in production, Mwendo said the Igomelo Irrigators Organisation Saving and Credit Cooperative Society capital increased from 403,000/- to 264,149,200/- currently.
He further said that the presence of Igomelo Irrigation Scheme in Mbarali at Igomelo had reduced the immigration of young people.
Speaking earlier, Yohana Mbuna (52) a farmer at Igomelo Irrigation Scheme said that before the improvement of the scheme he used to harvest 30 bags of onions per hector and now he gets up to 160 bags.
Mbuna said that with the increased income from onions he si now able to take his children to good school, build a modern house and attained food security for his family.
On other hand the zonal irrigation agriculture officer Mnadi Tarbo said that under the TANCAID project farmers had been trained on the operation and maintenance and good governance of the scheme.
He said the training also had empowered farmers on financial management, crop and water distribution.
The Mbeya Irrigation zone which covers Iringa, Songwe and Njombe regions has a potential area of 268,350 hectors for irrigation and only 66,974 hectors had been developed.
Source: IPP Media