Ngondoma Irrigation Scheme

Ngondoma Irrigation Scheme is located in Zhombe, Kwekwe District in Zimbabwe's Agro-Ecological Region Three. The average annual rainfall for the location is 550 mm. The scheme area is 44.4 4 hectares. Of the 179 farmers in the scheme, 134 are women. It comprises members from various villages, including villagers from Chief Njelele side, Gokwe District on the other side of Ngondoma River.

The scheme was established in 1968, and only 12 to 20 farmers having plots measuring up to one hectare each were at the inauguration of the 33 ha. By 1988 the plot holders had increased to 69.

Ngondoma Irrigation Scheme sketch

The scheme has since been extended up to 44.4 ha. Nowadays the plot holders have increased to 179 and 134 of them are women. Each farmer holds at least 0.2 ha. of land in the scheme.

Mushonga irrigation is supplied by the same literal canal that supplies the main irrigation scheme. It has no night storage.

Ngondoma Irrigation Scheme draws water from Ngondoma Dam, which has an estimated capacity of 7.5 million cubic metres. It is the 40th of the 41 recorded by FAO as Major Dams in Zimbabwe.

Ngongoma Irrigation Scheme has a gravity fed surface irrigation system. A canal conveys water from the dam into a reservoir which is situated just at the edge of the irrigation scheme. From the reservoir another canal conveys water to various portions of the irrigation and from a lateral to fields farmers fetch water using siphons. Another night storage has been built about 1500m to the northend of the scheme to service plots further afield.

Ngondoma Dam was constructed in 1967 mainly to supply Empress Nickel Mine which also was established in 1968 the year Ngondoma Irrigation was established.

Empress Mine closed down in 1985.

The dam provides drinking water for both and human beings.

Today the dam supports, apart from the irrigation scheme, Empress Mine Growth Point, Columbina Rural Service Center, Villages this Zhombe side of the dam and the Gokwe side of it.

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