admin
Edgar Vhera
Agriculture Specialist Writer
“THE dam is not the project, but rather what the water is intended to do.” Upon its actualisation, this shrewd saying by President Mnangagwa has seen the area under irrigation rising by 29 percent from 150 000 hectares in 2020 to the current 193 000ha.
The immediate observable impact from the country’s move to commit resources to the development of irrigation was the record wheat hectarage in excess of 80 000 planted last year and the subsequent bumper harvest of over 375 000 tonnes. The country instantly became wheat self-sufficient from local production.
Of course the dam widened the scope of the project definition to later incorporate five elements of the dam – hydropower, fisheries, irrigation development and potable water development for communities.
Under irrigation development, de-risking and climate proofing production, the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development’s bi-monthly Rural Development 8,0 for 2022 magazine revealed that the strategic policy shift would see all dams constructed being put to immediate use, unlike in the past where completed dams would be idle.
President Mnangagwa ordered the localisation of the construction of all dam projects as the country seeks to de-risk agriculture through an ambitious plan to irrigate 350 000ha by 2025.
Officiating at the launch of an irrigation scheme in Chikomba in 2021, President Mnangagwa called upon Dr Anxious Masuka to finish what the late Minister Perrance Shiri had started.
“When we were doing Command Agriculture with Cde Shiri, we agreed that there was no need for the country to be importing food and we agreed with him to do computations on the land we need to put under irrigation.
“We realised that if we put a minimum of 350 000ha under irrigation, the country would be guaranteed of enough food,” said President Mnangagwa.
The Government formed the Irrigation Development Alliance (IDA), comprising all stakeholders, to ensure that through public and private sector efforts, the 350 000ha under irrigation target by 2025 would be achieved.
In 2022, various proposals of up 100 000ha had been submitted by the private sector with a total of 324 irrigation schemes out of the 450 schemes being commercialised against a target of 200 by the Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (ARDA).
The Vision 2030 Accelerator Model, based on the replication of the highly successful Bubi-Lupane Model will cover all the 450 irrigation schemes on 26 000ha impacting more than one million people.
Government directed the commercialisation of all smallholder irrigation schemes with completion of irrigation development projects being given top priority.
How did this journey start?
- The 2019 Budget
Minister of Finance and Economic Development Professor Mthuli Ncube increased resources for irrigation development in his 2019 Budget from US$36,40 million in the previous year to US$50,50 million.
This was complemented by private sector initiatives and development partner support with the main aim of increasing irrigable land through irrigation rehabilitation and development.
Under the auspices of the National Irrigation Development Master Plan, the Government developed the National Accelerated Irrigation Rehabilitation and Development Programme, targeting irrigation development and rehabilitation of at least 200ha per district, to be implemented over the next 10 years.
The Smallholder Irrigation Revitalisation Programme (SIRP) co-funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) and Government availed, an amount of US$7,90 million for feasibility studies and rehabilitation of 24 irrigation schemes in four provinces.
Further, with support from the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development, an amount of US$2, 20 million was disbursed for detailed designs and other works for Zhove irrigation project.
Use of idle water bodies
The 2019 Budget said despite the positive strides Government had made in the development of water bodies, most dams remained idle after completion or were not exploited to their full potential, as the requisite conveyancing and downstream infrastructure was still to be developed.
In that regard, a deliberate strategy to exploit the existing resource was undertaken by carrying out detailed feasibility studies and plans that guided the development of a comprehensive development of Master Plans for the following completed dams: Tugwi-Mukosi, Marovanyati, Causeway, Semwa, Bindura, Tuli Manyange, Kunzvi Musami and Dande.
In addition, private players were engaged to drought-proof the country from the negative effects of climate change. This will entail ensuring that all idle water bodies are developed into functional irrigation schemes, to ensure climate resilient communities.
A total of 111 irrigation schemes in the country’s eight provinces with a potential to irrigate 9 031ha requiring US$25, 8 million were supported under the National Accelerated Irrigation Rehabilitation Programme (NAIRP).
(b.) 2020 Budget
Under the 2020 Budget, irrigation development received top priority with the Government targeting enough irrigable hectarage for support to guarantee grain production of around 1, 8 million tonnes in order to guarantee food security for the country. For this purpose, capable farmers with irrigation facilities were identified for contracting and support to produce required grains for food security.
The 200ha per district irrigation programme was also supported, taking advantage of Smart Agriculture, which also promoted solar irrigation systems. For the total irrigation programme, the budget provided $422,8 million. The private sector was also invited to contribute in irrigation and other related infrastructure development for agriculture through de-siltation of rivers and dams to restore the water ecosystem.
(c.) 2021 Budget
Stepping up Irrigation Programmes
Professor Ncube revealed that Government had invested $693 million under the NAIRP, which sought to exploit irrigable potential in every district as part of the country’s drought proofing strategy.
At least 80 projects, mostly A1 and communal schemes with potential to deliver 10 000ha are under implementation. Under the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), the target is to increase the area under functional irrigation to at least 350 000 ha by 2025 through irrigation revitalisation and expansion.
The budget availed $3, 90 billion for the 2021 irrigation rehabilitation and development activities covering the following, among others:
Rehabilitation and development of 10 557ha at 101 irrigation schemes,
Maintenance of 14 000ha of communal irrigation schemes.
The budget also capacitated A2 farmers with irrigation equipment and funding for rehabilitation of infrastructure on acquired farms through market led facilities
The smallholder irrigation revitalisation programmes will also be financed through a grant of $709 million from IFAD and a loan facility of $170 million from OFID for the completion of construction works at 22 irrigation schemes covering 3 800ha.
An amount of US$3,60 million was disbursed under the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) funded Green Climate Fund project for Building Climate Resilience of Vulnerable Agricultural Livelihoods in Southern Zimbabwe Project in selected districts of Manicaland, Masvingo and Matabeleland South provinces.
The fund was projected to be disbursed under the GFC project towards rehabilitation and setting up of 21 irrigation schemes (six new and 15 existing), installation of solar energy for irrigation up to 30 hectares per scheme as well as capacity building of 6 900 lead farmers.
The construction of Zhove irrigation project targeting 2 500 hectares expected to benefit more than 600 households was scheduled to commence in 2021, with a disbursement of $730 million.
Government, in partnership with the UNDP secured US$26, 70 million from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) for Building the Climate Resilience of Vulnerable Agricultural Livelihoods in Southern Zimbabwe Project.
(d.) 2023 Budget
Professor Ncube said to ensure the utilisation of idle water bodies, such as Tugwi Mukosi, Marovanyati, and Muchekeranwa dams, an amount of $55,30 billion has been set aside in the 2023 Budget for the development of irrigation infrastructure, fisheries and water conveyancing systems, among other interventions.
Under the NAIRP, Treasury has committed part of the special drawing rights (SDR) allocation, amounting to US$20 million, towards irrigation development under the Smallholder Irrigation Infrastructure Development Fund (SIIDF).
The fund targeted 18 irrigation schemes of vulnerable rural smallholder farmers, to finance the development of irrigation infrastructure spread in the eight rural provinces of the country.
In addition, the 2023 National Budget set aside $27,90 billion, complemented by US$15, 40 million from Development Partner support, towards the following irrigation projects.
The subsector will also benefit from projected loan disbursements of US$13, 5 million towards irrigation rehabilitation and development, mainly from IFAD and OFID.
Under the GCF, a total of US$8 million will be availed this year targeting the rehabilitation, upgrading and climate proofing of 651ha on 12 existing communal irrigation schemes in Masvingo and Manicaland.
Through the support from IFAD, a total of US$7, 40 million will be availed towards the rehabilitation of 2 000ha out of the targeted of 6 100ha, under the SIRP.
The transformation of the scheme is anchored on the V-30 Accelerator Model being implemented through ARDA, based on a business model, which promotes production, enhances productivity, and entrenches profitability.
The Vision 2030 Accelerator Model, based on the replication of the highly successful Bubi-Lupane Model, was to cover over 450 irrigation schemes on 26 000 ha impacting more than one million people.
Vision 2030 Accelerator Model (channels 1, 2,3) based on the replication of the highly successful Bubi-Lupane Model will cover over 450 irrigation schemes impacting more than one million people.
Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development permanent secretary Dr John Basera recently disclosed that the Accelerated Irrigation Rehabilitation and Development Plan (2021-2026) was targeting 350 000ha by 2025 with the country now 193 000ha during a presentation at the University of Zimbabwe.
He said irrigation development was not the end game but viability was key as the schemes replicated the successful ARDA management model.
The Government-facilitated and private-sector led interventions have resulted in the programme targeting A1 and A2 farmers on a cost recovery model with private sector contributing 18 000ha of the 23 000ha achieved last year.
The IDA model is Government facilitated and private sector led and is meant to crowd-in the participation of private sector players.
Development partners IFAD and UNDP among others are funding the growth of irrigation programmes.
Government incentives of duty-free imports of irrigation equipment as well as harnessing of pension and insurance funds for irrigation development are all aimed at spring boating hectarage under irrigation.
Online Reporter