Bulawayo (New Ziana) –The Zimbabwe government is accelerating the development of major dams as part of a broader strategy to strengthen food security, expand irrigation and drive rural industrialisation, a senior official has said.
Permanent secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development, Professor Obert Jiri, said this on Monday while giving an update on government efforts to develop major dams to boost food security and drive rural industrialisation.
He said the government was prioritising the full utilisation of the vast water resources in the country to transform agriculture into a climate-resilient sector, capable of sustaining production despite increasingly erratic rainfall patterns caused by climate change.
Prof Jiri said major water bodies, including Tugwi-Mukosi in Chivi district, Masvingo province, Gwayi-Shangani in Matabeleland North province and Marovanyati dam in Buhera district, Manicaland province, hold enormous potential to become integrated economic hubs that support irrigation development, fisheries, livestock production, hydropower generation and domestic water supply.
“These dams must serve as centres of agricultural production, fisheries, livestock development, energy generation and reliable domestic water supply,” he said.
He said expanding irrigation infrastructure remained a key pillar of the government strategy to guarantee year-round agricultural production and reduce dependence on rainfall.
“Our thrust is to increase irrigated agriculture so that farmers can produce throughout the year. This is essential in building a climate-resilient agricultural sector, improving national food security and creating sustainable livelihoods for rural communities,” he explained.
Professor Jiri said the government was making significant progress on several strategic dam projects that will improve water availability across the country.
“Construction and development of strategic projects such as Gwayi-Shangani, Kunzvi, Vungu and Semwa dams are progressing well. These investments will strengthen water security, expand irrigation, create employment opportunities and accelerate the country’s journey towards sustainable food self-sufficiency and inclusive economic development,” he said.
He said the projects would unlock thousands of hectares of irrigable land while stimulating agro-processing industries and attracting investment into rural areas.
“Once supported by irrigation and value-addition industries, these projects will stimulate rural industrialisation, increase agricultural productivity and improve household incomes,” he said.
Zimbabwe has more than 10 600 dams and water bodies, giving the country one of the largest inland water storage capacities in Southern Africa.
The government has identified irrigation expansion as a critical intervention under its agricultural transformation agenda to cushion farmers against recurrent droughts and climate variability.
It has also has consistently promoted the construction and rehabilitation of dams alongside irrigation development to support the country’s vision of becoming an upper-middle-income economy by 2030.
Large water infrastructure projects are expected to improve crop production, strengthen livestock production, boost fisheries, generate renewable energy and provide reliable water supplies for households and industry.
Agro experts said investments in dams are critical to sustaining agricultural growth because irrigation enables year-round production, stabilises food supplies and reduces reliance on rain-fed farming.
The infrastructure also creates opportunities for agro-processing, tourism, aquaculture and other downstream industries, making dams important catalysts for economic growth, employment creation and rural development.
With climate change increasing the frequency of droughts and unpredictable rainfall seasons, government views strategic water infrastructure as one of the most important long-term investments for ensuring national food security, improving farmer productivity and building resilient rural economies.
New Ziana
