The Zambezi Integrated Agro-Commercial Development Project (ZIACDP)

The Zambezi Integrated Agro-Commercial Development Project (ZIACDP)

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.  It is also anticipated that the project will create opportunities for Batswana to be involved directly and indirectly as entrepreneurs, therefore increasing the impact of the investment for the country

Total water extraction is estimated at 495 million m³ per year, of which 345 million m³ will be used for 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 +-35,000ha. 150 million m³ 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 etc. which will now be implemented by MMEWR to close any existing gaps in the design process.

The project comprises two main components which are: the agricultural production component and the water conveyance infrastructure. The responsibility for the agricultural component lies with the Ministry of Agriculture, while the water conveyance infrastructure is the responsibility of the Ministry of Minerals Energy and Water Resources i.e.

·        Chobe-Zambezi Water Transfer Project to be implemented by Ministry of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources which is in two phases i.e. 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.

·        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.

The agricultural component of the project is currently at a feasibility stage following the decision to relocate the project to a new site, west of existing Pandamatenga farms.  The tender for consultancy services for the Feasibility Study was awarded to an Italian Company Studio Gallli Ingegneria (SGI) which is in joint venture with Metaferia Consulting Engineers, an Ethiopian Company.   The contract was signed on 18th January 2014. The feasibility is planned to be completed by end November 2014.  As part of the study, 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.

The feasibility study for the project commenced on 3rd March 2014.  The Consultant submitted and presented an inception report to the Reference Group and Technical Committee on 10th March 2014, which was accepted.  The detailed Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) also commenced on 3rd March 2014.

At the end of the feasibility Ministry of Agriculture will be in a position to know as to how much of this 45 000ha 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 9^th May 2014. Both MoA and the consultants made the presentations. There were a lot of questions from the attendants, which were adequately responded by both MoA and the consultants.