Zambezi Agro-project relocated
Keikantse Lesemela | Wednesday May 21, 2014 14:37
The original site, which was 50 kilometres away from Kazungula, was discovered to be on the wildlife corridor.
Botswana Agricultural Hub Chief Communications and Investor Relations Officer, Baitshephi Babusi-Hill said the project had to be relocated.
“The project has been moved 100 km away from Kazungula because it was discovered that the initial site which was 50 kilometres from Kazungula was on a wildlife corridor,” she said.
The relocation has necessitated the redesign of the water infrastructure such as additional pipeline and reservoirs. She said the design would now be implemented by the Ministry of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources (MMEWR) to close any existing gaps in the design process.
She explained that the agricultural component of the project is currently at a feasibility stage.
“The contract was awarded to an Italian Company Studio, Gallli Ingegneria (SGI), which is in joint venture with Metaferia Consulting Engineers, an Ethiopian Company. The study commenced on March 2014 and will be complete by end November this year,” she said.
Babusi-Hill explained that the primary objective of the project is to establish a viable integrated commercial agricultural development, which will improve Botswana’s food security, diversify agriculture, meaningfully contribute to the country’s GDP and create employment. She said the project would also create opportunities for Batswana to be involved directly and indirectly as entrepreneurs, therefore increasing the impact of the investment for the country. According to the World Bank report, agriculture’s contribution to Botswana’s GDP was valued at 2.94 percent in 2012.
As part of the study, Babusi-Hill said the consultant is to conduct a detailed Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) study.
“For the ESIA, the main Consultant has sub-contracted a local company, Hatfield Consultants Africa”, she said.
The project comprises two main components, which are: the agricultural production component and the water conveyance infrastructure. She explained that the responsibility for the agricultural component lies with the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA), while the water conveyance infrastructure is the responsibility of the Ministry of Minerals Energy and Water Resources MMEWR) including the Chobe-Zambezi Water Transfer Project to be implemented by MMWER, which is in two phases.
However, the pipeline to the new project located west of the existing Pandamatenga farms and phase 2 of the pipeline will be water conveyance to Selebi Phikwe and carrying out a new feasibility study for the agricultural project at the new location west of the existing Pandamatenga Commercial Farms with alternative integrated development options.
“At the end of the feasibility Ministry of Agriculture will be in a position to know as to how much of this 45,000 hectare study area is to be developed as well as the financial options of the project. The public consultation meetings at the three villages (Kazungula, Lesoma and Pandamatenga) were carried out on the 9th May” she said.
Babusi-Hill highlighted that the total water extraction is estimated at 495 million cubic metros per year, of which 345 million will be used for the agricultural project, which will be located in the west of the existing Pandamatenga Commercial Farms, about 110km south of Kazungula, covering an irrigable area of about 35,000 hectare.
About 150 million cubic metros will be pumped to Selebi Phikwe by the National Water Authority for distribution throughout the country through the National Water Carrier.
The relocation of the project from the original site to the new site has necessitated the redesign of the water infrastructure such as additional pipeline and reservoirs, which will now be implemented by MMEWR to close any existing gaps in the design process.