Chronicle Editor
Nqobile Bhebhe, Senior Business Reporter
ZIMBABWE is rolling out dam construction projects countrywide to boost agriculture production and harness existing water bodies, Permanent Secretary for Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement, Dr John Basera, has said.
Under the Second Republic, some of the country’s biggest projects including dam construction are in Matabeleland region.
The construction of the Gwayi-Shangani Dam is one of the biggest national projects and feeds into the National Matabeleland Zambezi Water Project, which upon completion will solve Bulawayo’s perennial water problems. In Matabeleland South, Government is constructing the Tuli-Manyange Dam, which will contribute to food security.
It is envisaged that once complete, at least 2 000 hectares will be put under irrigation. A new 98 million cubic meter dam is also being built by the Government in Ziminya area in Nkayi district, making it the third major water body under construction in the region.
Speaking during a panel discussion at the recently held International Business Conference alongside the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF), Dr Basera said the country has the potential to irrigate over two million hectares of land.
“We are the densest country in the north of Limpopo in Africa with over 10 740 water bodies in Zimbabwe and we are still building more,” he said.
“At the moment we are outlaying a tune of about US$2 billion in terms of dam construction. We have 10 water projects including about eight dams, which are under construction.”
Dr Basera said it was critical to implement sustainable use of existing water bodies.
“We have the potential to irrigate over two million hectares of land but we do not eat potential. We need to harness that potential into a competitive financial advantage at the household level.”
Officially opening the trade exhibition, President Mnangagwa called on the private sector to fully utilise dam construction projects by establishing vibrant economies around strategic national infrastructure.
“The impact of climate change requires us to be innovative to hedge the risks in our agriculture sector,” he said.
“On its part, my Government is constructing dams and other infrastructure across all provinces. However, it is you in industry and commerce that should establish vibrant economies around strategic national infrastructure,” said President Mnangagwa.
Under the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), the country has set out a comprehensive roadmap anchored on revitalising the agriculture sector for the period running up to the year 2030 in which Zimbabwe expects to realise an upper-middle-income status.
The interventions are meant to help increase the country’s food self-sufficiency from the current 45 percent to 100 percent, thereby reducing reliance on imports as the Government seeks to make Zimbabwe the breadbasket for Africa again.
In 2020/21, the agriculture industry, which had set a five-year growth target of US$8,2 billion, surpassed the mark in a single year, registering a key milestone in the sector.
-@nqobilebhebhe
Online Reporter