Manica Province – The BAGC Inputs Partnership has been working in conjunction with the Royal Norwegian Embassy Maputo to deliver essential inputs to farmers affected by the recent cyclone Idai. Last week the BAGC Secretariat coordinated operations to purchase and deliver nearly two tonnes of seed (common bean, cabbage maize) to farmer associations based at the Tsetsera Irrigation schemes some 60 km west of the city of Chimoio.
The Tsetsera schemes were heavily damaged by the cyclone, with the farmer association Kuguta Kushanda seeing nearly 80% damage to their weir and canal pipe intakes. The seed deliveries, short season varieties, come in time for farmers to plant and and produce much needed food crops for their families.
BAGC in collaboration with the Inputs Partnership and Royal Norwegian Embassy Maputo is currently evaluating the cyclone damage on the 30 irrigation schemes in Manica and Sofala.
Emerson Zhou, Director of the BAGC Secretariat said that “preliminary budgets to address the infrastructure damage have been completed and detailed surveys and bill of quantities are now underway.” He added, “we aim to rebuild the majority of smaller works such as weir and canal pipe damage, sedimentation tanks, secondary and lateral canals and infield sprinkler irrigation equipment within the next six months.”