Online Reporter
Theseus Shambare
Herald Reporter
ZIMBABWE is ramping up its irrigation and water harvesting drive, targeting the construction of 50 small dams and weirs while upgrading and maintaining existing farm dams in preparation for a possible wetter-than-usual 2025–2026 La Niña summer cropping season.
Infrastructure expansion is a pillar of the National Irrigation Rehabilitation and Expansion Programme, which seeks to bring 350 000 hectares under irrigation by 2028 — a strategic push to safeguard food security in the face of climate extremes.
The country already has over 10 500 water bodies, including major dams, weirs and small reservoirs that sustain irrigation, livestock, fisheries and rural water supply.
Authorities say harnessing and maintaining these resources is central to building agricultural resilience against climate change.
Chief director responsible for Agricultural Engineering, Mechanisation, Farm Infrastructure Development and Soil Conservation in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Engineer Edwin Zimunga, said the threat of climate variability demanded both conservation and infrastructure readiness at scale.
“The face of climate change really requires that conservation — especially of our biodiversity and natural resources — happens at a much bigger scale. Soil conservation remains a strategic pillar of agricultural production,” he said.
He said the current mid-dry spell period was critical for field preparations such as pegging, contour construction, drainage works and levelling.
“The best time to start a Pfumvudza plot, to build contours or to construct field drainages is now. In the old days, we pegged and built contours before the rains to channel and retain water — that has not changed. Only now we are doing it at a greater level because rains are more erratic and erosion more severe.”
Eng Zimunga warned that poor dam maintenance could have deadly consequences, recalling incidents last season where small farm dam breaches resulted in fatalities.
During a recent visit to the 156-hectare Pikinini-Jawanda Irrigation Scheme in Mwenezi, UNDP spokesperson,Ms Pylaia Chembe, said the projects were proof that rural communities could thrive despite climate challenges.
“Our goal is to ensure that communities can thrive even under challenging climatic conditions,” Ms Chembe said.
