Online Reporter
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu
Zimpapers Reporter
Communal farmers in Pulipeli area, Ward 15 of Gwanda District, are recording improved crop yields after embracing soil and water conservation farming methods—a development that is strengthening household food security in a region prone to low and erratic rainfall.
The farmers have constructed contour ridges and infiltration pits in their fields, techniques that help retain moisture, reduce runoff and improve soil fertility, enabling crops to withstand prolonged dry spells.
One of the farmers, Ms Siphiwe Shaba, said adopting improved soil and water conservation methods has transformed crop performance in her fields.
“Soil and water conservation is something we have practised for a long time, but we are now doing it in an improved and more effective way. It is not just about digging contour ridges; there is a correct way of constructing them,” she said.
Ms Shaba explained that farmers have been trained to understand where to place the ridges, their spacing and alignment relative to crop rows—a factor she described as critical to success.
“The same applies to infiltration pits. With these techniques, we are no longer losing water but preserving it in the soil,” she added.
She noted that in previous seasons, heavy rains would quickly run off, leaving crops stressed once sunshine returned.
“Before, it would rain heavily and all the water would be lost within a short space of time. Now, the water is retained in the soil, and our crops continue to grow even after the rains stop,” she said.
Another farmer, Ms Ntombiyosizi Moyo, who is also a lead farmer in the area, said training on soil and water conservation has significantly improved their farming practices. She added that farmers are now sharing the knowledge among themselves, spreading climate-smart practices beyond the initial beneficiaries.
“We have also been capacitated on other climate-smart agriculture methods, which help us cope with climate change,” said Ms Moyo.
The farmers were trained under the Humanitarian Drought Response Programme, implemented by the Government in partnership with development organisation Welthungerhilfe (WHH).
WHH head of drought recovery project, Mr Vincent Chiunya, said the programme focused on water harvesting and soil erosion control to protect smallholder farmers from climate shocks.
“A total of 171 households in Ward 15 constructed contour ridges covering 380 hectares.
“The objective was to rapidly protect and restore smallholder production capacities by promoting climate-smart practices that enhance household food availability and reduce vulnerability to future shocks,” he said.
Matabeleland South provincial mechanisation engineer, Dalisto Varegeyi, said adopting soil and water conservation methods is essential for improved agricultural productivity, particularly in the face of climate change.
He explained that other conservation practices farmers can implement include dead-level contours, tied ridges, mulching, rip lines and live mulching.
“We are urging farmers to integrate several in-field water harvesting techniques to maximise infiltration and reduce runoff. Every raindrop must be harvested,” said Eng Varegeyi.
He emphasised that Matabeleland South’s dry climate makes water harvesting a necessity rather than an option.
“If we retain water in the soil, even during the dry season the water table remains relatively high, reducing moisture stress on crops,” he said.
The Government has intensified soil and water conservation programmes as part of broader efforts to boost agricultural productivity and climate resilience. Soil and water conservation is a key pillar in achieving Vision 2030, as it supports improved agricultural production, productivity and sustainable household food security.
