Thirty years after it the Chipembe irrigation system came to a halt, the government of Cabo Delgado has managed to revive the favourite agricultural project of the first president of the Republic of Mozambique, Samora Machel.
Located in the district of Balama, south of Cabo Delgado, the Chipembe project irrigated about 2,00 hectares of land, and has finally been revived after decades of neglect.
After rehabilitating the dam’s floodgates, which had recently been capable of storing only about 25,000 cubic metres of water, or half the amount originally envisaged, the government signed a memorandum of understanding with Plexus, the only company that exports cotton from the province.
The concession of 600 hectares to the private sector has reactivated the irrigation system, hopefully securing further investment in agriculture and accomplishing Samora Machel’s dream of increasing food production and feeding the people.
By Hizidine Achá
Ref Source: O País – Club Of Mozambique