Chronicle Editor
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, [email protected]
THE Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, through the Department of Mechanisation, Engineering and Soil Conservation has rolled out countrywide consultative validation meetings on the draft National Soil Conservation Policy.
In 2022, the ministry conducted nationwide consultative meetings with various stakeholders, gathering inputs on the formulation of the National Soil Conservation Policy.
It has now rolled out validation meetings, which will be held in all eight provinces of the country to verify whether the views of stakeholders were accurately captured in the draft.
The first validation meeting was held on Monday in Matabeleland South.
In line with the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), Government is in the process of formulating a National Soil Conservation Policy that will guide the protection and management of soil.
In an interview on the sidelines of a national soil conservation policy draft validation meeting in Gwanda, Matabeleland South provincial director responsible for soil conservation, post-harvest, agro-processing and farm infrastructure development in the Department of Agricultural Engineering, Mechanisation and Farm Infrastructure Development, Mr Martin Munyati said the validation meetings will be held over two weeks.
He said the final stage will be a national consultative validation meeting in August.
Mr Munyati said the development of the policy will lead to the enactment of a first statutory instrument that will address specifically the issues of soil conservation.
“We are developing a National Soil Conservation Policy in response to the need for a comprehensive and integrated approach to soil conservation in the country. We are developing this policy through a consultative process that incorporates a wide range of stakeholders such as Government agencies, civic society organisations and even the private sector,” he said.
“This process started in 2022 with a consultative process where we went around all eight rural provinces and gathered what stakeholders wanted to be included in the national soil conservation policy. We then came up with the first draft of the policy and we are now carrying our validation process of that first draft.”
Mr Munyati said the process will encompass the use of soil for non-agricultural purposes such as mining, environment and land development, among others.
He said in 2021 the ministry wanted to enact an SI to support the enforcement of soil conservation processes after the realisation that most farmers were not putting up soil conservation structures within their land, which resulted in land degradation and depletion of soil nutrients and siltation of water bodies.
Unpacking the draft policy, Mr Kudakwashe Mpofu who is a consultant on the policy, said stream bank cultivation, soil degradation from deforestation, overgrazing and unsustainable farming and mining practices have led to reduced soil fertility and agricultural productivity.
Unpredictable effects of climate change and socio-economic factors further exacerbate the situation. Population growth, urbanisation and infrastructure development have all contributed to increased pressures on the soil.
“Zimbabwe has a rich history of soil conservation, with traditional farming practices that have been passed down through generations. However, the country is exposed to soil degradation through deforestation, sand poaching, overgrazing and unsustainable mining practices,” said Mr Mpofu.
He said the National Soil Policy aims to address those challenges by providing a framework for sustainable soil management practices that are scientific.
“The policy is intended to promote the conservation and restoration of soil health, prevent soil degradation and improve the productivity of agricultural lands. The policy was developed in response to the need for a comprehensive and integrated approach to soil conservation in Zimbabwe,” said Mr Mpofu.
The National Soil Conservation Policy is supported by several existing legal frameworks in Zimbabwe, which include the Environmental Management Act (Chapter 20:27), the Forest Act (Chapter 19:05) and the National Agriculture Policy. The frameworks provide a basis for the implementation of the policy and help to ensure that it is aligned with other national development priorities
A study conducted under the Zimbabwe National Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) Targets (2017) showed that the country was losing 15 to 50 tons per arable hectare per year and the overall official general soil erosion rate.
This has resulted in massive land degradation and widespread siltation of water bodies. —@DubeMatutu
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