Online Reporter
Nqobile Bhebhe-Zimpapers Business Hub
Zimbabwe should enhance national irrigation development to boost agricultural productivity, ensure food security and cushion the sector from climate change, a senior Government official has said.
Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Permanent Secretary, Professor Obert Jiri, said the country had adequate water resources that should be fully utilised to support agricultural production, especially cereal crops, in light of growing climate variability.
Zimbabwe’s irrigation development focuses on reducing rain-fed agriculture reliance through major programmes like the National Accelerated Irrigation Rehabilitation and Development Programme (NAIRDP), the Smallholder Irrigation Revitalisation Programme (SIRP) and public-private partnerships (PPPs) under the Irrigation Development Alliance.
“On 5 July 2024, during the irrigation investment indaba, we started on a path where we said, let’s convert all water bodies to irrigation. We have more than 10 700 water bodies in the country and the irrigation potential is for over two million hectares.
“Currently, we are sitting on 233 000 hectares, which is not enough to produce the cereal food that we need. If we can have at least 350 000 hectares assigned to the production of cereals, we will be able to produce more than enough food.”
He said irrigation remained central to safeguarding national food supplies against droughts and erratic rainfall patterns.
“Therefore, the irrigation thrust is key to climate proofing. We are rehabilitating irrigation schemes and constructing new ones. The water bodies should not be white elephants; water must be utilised for irrigation and that is the thrust where we are inviting investors to utilise the water for production.”
Prof Jiri said irrigation development had benefited significantly from partnerships with development agencies and private investors.
“Our development partners have really come through for us. In terms of irrigation rehabilitation, the bulk of the progress we have seen was driven by development partners and our investors.”
To strengthen coordination and fast-track irrigation expansion, the ministry established the irrigation development alliance.
