Chisumbanje

Chisumbanje is an area located in the province of Manicaland in Zimbabwe. It is situated in Chipinge District, one of seven districts in the province.^[1] It is located in Dowoyo communal land on the eastern bank of the Save River, about 95 km (59 mi) south of Birchenough Bridge on the Birchenough Bridge-Chiredzi road.

Governance

Chisumbanje is under the traditional leadership of Chief Garahwa.^[2] Other districts in region one in Manicaland Province include Mutare, Chimanimani, Nyanga and Mutasa.

Culture

Muchongoyo is a dance popular in the area. Besides entertaining villagers, this dance is used as a source of unity and love among the locals.^[3] Teponean society, Topoyak language, Teponism movement, and Teponisation from the social identity of the residents of Chitepo Cosmo dating to 1925. Chitepo Cosmo's great Jack Quinton Bridge crosses Save River to Chiredzi.

Climate

The area is arid because it lies in a valley and crop yields are generally poor, leaving residents prone to food insecurity. It is different from the other northern parts of Chipinge district that lie in Zimbabwe's region one.^[4]

Demographics

While Chipinge is rural, Chisumbanje has a population of roughly 300,000 people.^[5]

Transport

Chisumbanje is linked by a tarred road to the Manicaland provincial capital, Mutare, and the district capital, Chipinge town. It reaches to Lowveld and to the South African border crossing at Beitbridge.^[6]

Cities and towns

Nearby cities and towns include Chisumbanje, Mabhiza, Machona, Vheneka, Chitepo, Cosmo, Matikwa, Munepasi, and Manzvire. The closest major city is Mutare.

Economy

Their economy is largely agricultural. The most common crops are maize, millet, rapoko, cotton, and sugarcane. It is taboo to grow millet in Chief Musikavanhu's area. The local varieties of crops contrast sharply with the commercial estates where coffee, tea, and bananas are grown. The area is rich in gold, coal, zinc, manganese, uranium, and little deposits of platinum.

Ethanol Plant

The Chisumbanje Ethanol Project is a strategic national project in that ethanol can be produced from sugarcane. It is seen as one of Africa's largest ethanol projects.^[7] The project consists of sugarcane plantations in Chisumbanje and Middle Sabi, placing the ethanol plant in Chisumbanje.^[8][9] It is also a consortium of local investors in partnership with the government's Agriculture and Rural Development Authority, ARDA.^[10]

At its peak, the Chisumbanje ethanol project – and ARDA's cane-growing adjacent farms operated by the private investors trading as Rating (at Middle Sabi) and Macdom (at Chisumbanje) – has been projected to create employment for more than 8,000 people, becoming one of the single largest job creation ventures in Zimbabwe in recent years.^[11]

Irrigation

World class irrigation infrastructure is available with an outstanding ethanol-producing plant constructed.^[12]

Health centres

Chisumbanje area has eight clinics that are run by the Ministry of Health.^[13] The Clinics are St Peters, Madhuku, Arda, Chisumbanje, Veneka, Mabee, Matandwa, Chisuma, Mutandahwe, and Mahenye.

Primary schools

Chisumbanje has about 20 primary schools and 12 secondary schools run by the Ministry of Education.^[14] These are located in the various wards in the Chisumbanje area.

See also

• Manicaland Province
• Save River
• Chipinge District

References

1. map showing Manicaland Districts
2. duties of chiefs. 2013-03-09 at the Wayback Machine
3. video showing Muchongoyo dance
4. regions^{[permanent dead link]}
5. Census results 2012 Zimbabwe
6. map showing Distance from Chisumbanje to Beitbridge
7. Chisumbanje Ethanol project Archived 2013-06-28 at archive.today
8. pictures of chisumbanje sugarcane plantations
9. green fuel
10. ARDA functions
11. chisumbanje employment creation 2013-04-01 at the Wayback Machine
12. pictures of Chisumbanje irrigation
13. ministry of health March 31, 2013, at the Wayback Machine
14. ministry of education 2013-03-07 at the Wayback Machine

External links