Katavi residents tasked to protect irrigation infrastructure, government projects heading to El Niño threat
MPANDA: THE Board of Directors of the National Irrigation Commission (NIRC) has urged residents and farmers in Katavi Region to take precautions against the expected El Niño rains by protecting irrigation infrastructure and safeguarding government-funded projects.
The call was made by NIRC Board Chairperson Eng Dr Richard Masika during a visit to the region, where the board inspected progress on the Mwamkulu Irrigation Scheme.
Dr Masika said farmers and local authorities must ensure irrigation canals are properly maintained and cleared of debris to prevent excessive water from causing damage to the infrastructure.
“If the canals are left uncleared, water may fail to flow through the designated channels, potentially causing flooding and damaging irrigation infrastructure on which the government has spent significant amounts of money,” he said.
He urged local leaders and residents to work closely with NIRC experts to prepare adequately for potentially heavy rainfall associated with El Niño and prevent the irrigation infrastructure from being washed away or damaged.
Dr Masika also encouraged local young people who have secured employment opportunities on the project to make full use of the opportunity to learn from technical experts and the contractor.
He said the skills gained would enable them to undertake maintenance and construction of similar irrigation projects in the future without relying heavily on foreign expertise.
The NIRC board chairperson further condemned acts of vandalism and misuse of the irrigation infrastructure, including allowing livestock to pass through the project area and creating unofficial roads that damage the scheme’s embankments.
Providing details on the scale of the investment, NIRC Acting Director of Infrastructure Development Eng. Leopold Runji said the government has invested more than 31 billion Tanzanian shillings in the construction of the project.
He said completion of the Mwamkulu Irrigation Scheme will expand the irrigated area from the existing 1,000 hectares to 3,500 hectares, a development expected to significantly transform agricultural production and increase farmers’ productivity.
Farmers and residents in the area have welcomed the government’s investment, saying the project is expected to improve their livelihoods and strengthen their economic prospects.
