For many years, families in Saba village in Binga’s Ward 13 depended on unpredictable rainfall to grow food, often facing poor harvests and recurring hunger in the drought-prone area. With crops failing frequently, households relied mainly on small grains and seasonal yields to survive. The situation has begun to change following the introduction of the SABA Irrigation Scheme, which is enabling farmers to access reliable water from the Zambezi River and produce crops throughout the year, easing food shortages and improving livelihoods in the community.
At the centre of this transformation is the SABA Irrigation Scheme, a 20-hectare project established in 2023 under the Climate Adaptation, Water and Energy Programme (CAWEP). The scheme consists of 15 hectares under centre pivot irrigation and five hectares under drip irrigation and currently benefits 64 families. The irrigation scheme has enabled farmers to move away from exclusive reliance on rain-fed agriculture.
Where households once depended mainly on small grains, they now grow a variety of crops including maize, sugar beans and chilli, which farmers say is in high demand and provides income for the community. Chairperson of the scheme, Luckson Muleya, said the project marked a turning point for an area long associated with hunger. “This establishment of the irrigation scheme is a miracle, as we used to rely on growing small grains only.
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Now we are growing maize, sugar beans and chilli. We work as a cooperative and all the income earned through this scheme belongs to the entire community,” he said. Muleya said challenges were initially experienced during harvesting seasons when elephants invaded the fields and destroyed crops, a common problem in communities located near wildlife corridors.
He said UNDP had since erected an electric fence around the scheme to reduce crop damage. Farmers say access to reliable water has changed daily life in the community. Monica Mupambe said the scheme has made continuous production possible.
“We now have plenty of water to grow crops any time of the year and this has improved lives in our community,” she said, appealing for the provision of farming tools to enhance productivity. Another farmer, Richard Munkuli, said the impact of the project was visible in household nutrition.
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