Technology challenging poverty in Gwanda

Lazarus Sauti

Villagers in Gwanda, Matabeleland South Province, like most rural parts in Zimbabwe, are food-insecure, and as such, they frequently survive on less than US$1 per person per day.

To complicate their lives, families rely on rain-fed agriculture for production of crops, which is limited to a three to six months rainy season. Due to El Nino, combined with barren land and dry vegetation, crop production in Gwanda is low this year and poverty sticks out like a sour numb.

As a result, villagers depend on food handouts from both Government and civil society.

The promotion of irrigation, particularly smallholder irrigation, is therefore the only viable strategy for poverty reduction, climate adaptation, and promotion of food security in such areas. Practical Action, supported by the Jersey Overseas Aid Commission (Joac), is utilising simple technology, a solar-powered horticulture system in some parts of Gwanda, to alleviate hunger as well as increase food security in one of the country’s driest areas.

The programme, notes Leslie Masotsha Tshalibe (60), chairman of Matshokodo garden which consists of 20 members in Ward 8, has transformed more than 60 households, mainly in Sibula Village.

“We are living in a dry region and irrigation is the only way families can do their farming.

“Thanks to Practical Action’s solar-powered project, a simple technology which siphons water from dry river beds, we are now using an innovative avenue to challenge poverty in this area,” said Tshalibe.

He also explained: “A solar-powered submersible pump is submerged in the sand of Maleme River, and it taps directly from the water table and pumps water into a 10 000-litre holding tank. We are therefore using that water to irrigate our vegetables as well as maize crops.”

Dumisani Tshalibe (51) says the solar-powered drip irrigation project enabled villagers like him not only to feed their families, but to pay school fees for their children.

“We now have access to year-round food as each household has two long vegetable beds and two long maize beds. Further, we are using the extra income from the sale of our produce to pay for school fees and our medical treatment,” he said.

Moddy Msebele (69) added: “This cost-effective way of tapping water from the water table provides many solutions to our problems. It endows villagers with safe, clean drinking water as the type of technology is not open to contamination; in fact, water is naturally filtered and cleaned.”

The solar-powered technology, she notes, also saves her grandchildren from the brunt of fetching water.

“Before this project, we used to wake up early in the morning to carry water for household as well as garden use, but now we are using two taps provided in our garden and the drip system for our crops. This means the project rescued me and my six grandchildren from the burden of fetching water,” she said.

Beneficiary and village head, Alfred Tshalibe (70) applauded the concept, saying it significantly enhanced household incomes and nutritional intake of villagers in his arid area.

“The power of technology is challenging poverty here in Gwanda. I can testify that the solar powered garden is helping villagers not only to alleviate hunger, but eradicate poverty in this area,” he said.

Melody Makumbe, projects manager, Sustainable Agriculture and Livelihoods programme at Practical Action, says her organisation, through the help of Joac, is tapping solar in Gwanda simply to increase food security in the area.

“Gwanda is a hot and dry region. Consequently, we are exploiting solar energy, which is in abundance in this area, to tap water from dry riverbeds and use it to overcome the endemic lack of water in the area.

“Our goal is to utilise innovative and appropriate technology and help the Government to translate the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (Zim-Asset) cluster on food security and nutrition into reality,” she added.

Makumbe also said more solar-powered gardens will be established in Gwanda and other rural areas to challenge poverty.

“The concept of solar-powered drip irrigation is efficient in ensuring that villagers yield something from farming.

“We are therefore in the process of setting up more solar-powered gardens in the area and we hope others will copy the concept to improve food security,” she added.

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