SMALLHOLDER FARMERS URGED TO GET WATER PERMITS

By Mathews Nyirenda

THE Ministry of Agriculture has urged smallholder farmers with irrigation schemes in Northern Province to acquire water permits for sustainable use of the commodity.

Speaking during the Expansion of Community-Based Smallholder Irrigation –ECOBSI- Project training of officers in Kasama district,

Northern Province Senior Irrigation Engineer SIFAYA MUFALALI says there are over 100 irrigation sites in the province and most of them do not have water permits.

Mr. MUFALALI said this In Kasama District during the Expansion of Community-Based Smallholder Irrigation–ECOBSI- Project training of officers .

Mr. MUFALALI says the water user fees that individual farmers in irrigation groups pay is supposed to be used to acquire water permits.

The Senior Irrigation Engineer has called on irrigation farmer groups to form cooperatives to have access to various empowerment schemes being offered by government.

And Northern Region Water Resources Management Authority –WARMA- Manager MWIZA MUZUMARA says the law requires farmers using irrigational schemes and producing for the market to have water permits.

Mr. MUZUMARA adds that farmers using less than ten thousand litters of water per day and producing crops for household use do not need water permits while those producing for commercial purposes need permits.

Meanwhile Northern Province Agricultural Coordinator SILVESTER NYENDWA has warned officers not to engage themselves in smuggling of maize and mealie meal in the province.

Mr. NYENDWA says government is making tremendous efforts to stabilize mealie-meal prices.

The Expansion of Community-Based Smallholder Irrigation –ECOBSI- Project is being implemented in nine districts of Northern province with support from Japan International Cooperation Agency –JICA-.

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