Government has crafted a ‘comprehensive’ irrigation development blueprint that will require $10 billion over the next 25 years to implement, Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Minister Dr Joseph Made has said.

Dr Made told the just ended Water Conference that the phased master plan is aimed at increasing the irrigated area and correcting historical imbalances in water and irrigation technology utilisation.

“To exploit the national irrigation potential, the Government is embarking on a 25 year phased irrigation development plan. Estimated total cost of the irrigation development opportunities is $10 billion. The Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development is ready to discuss project by project details.

“The aim of the program is not only to increase the irrigated area but also to correct historical imbalances in land, water and irrigation technology utilisation amongst the different farming sectors of Zimbabwe,” he said.

This comes as government recently started re-engaging the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) which has traditionally supported small holder irrigation schemes in the country.

According to the plan, Government is targeting to rehabilitate irrigation schemes in all agricultural sectors and complete on-going projects over the next two years.

“The aim is to ensure that all land with irrigation infrastructure is fully functional and to expand the area equipped by 110 000ha to 240 000ha, We hope to cover 5 000ha in the communal cluster, 23 000ha in A1 and old resettlements, 56 000ha for A2 and 26 000ha for ARDA,” said Minister Made.

In the mid-term, which covers 3-10 years, Government aims to focus on the expansion of existing schemes and development of new schemes to fully utilise water stored in all existing dams with the intention of increasing area equipped and functional by 736 000ha to 976 000ha. Dr Made said in the medium term, 131 000ha will be earmarked for communal areas, 145 000ha for A1, 191 000ha for A2 and 736 000ha for ARDA.

The minister said in the long-term, which covers 11 to 25 years, Government will focus on large irrigation schemes using dams currently under construction, proposed dams, major dams and rivers to be constructed in order to increase the area equipped and functional by 1 267 000ha, bringing the total to 2 243 000ha.

In the final phase, Government will look at covering 197 000ha in the communal areas, 223 000ha for A1, 312 000ha for A2 and 535 000ha for ARDA.

Minister Made said the preferred irrigation technologies include, centre and linear pivots, hose reel sprinkler, semi porable sprinkler, micro sprinkler, drip and flood irrigation systems as they are labour saving and ensure efficient and effective irrigated agriculture production systems.

“The program will adopt irrigation technologies where they are best suitable in terms of soil type, slop and crops to be irrigated,” he said.

Minister Made said investment opportunities exist in supplying lines of credit to irrigation farmers, investing in development of new schemes and retooling of the irrigation manufacturing industry.

The minister said the total area with irrigation facilities currently stands at 186 000ha of which 130 000ha is functional. — Wires.