Vice President Mnangagwa

Business Reporter
Zimbabwe is failing to fully utilise the existing irrigation capacity despite the availability of enough water reservoirs to irrigate two million hectares of land, Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa said on Wednesday. Speaking at the Zimbabwe Agricultural Show Agribusiness Conference, Vice PresidentMnangagwa said like any other developing nation, agriculture in Zimbabwe is largely rain fed and as such there is need for investments in irrigation.

He said the country has a total of 220 000 hectares of installed irrigation capacity out of which 153 000 hectares is functional. “Despite the positive contributions to the economy over the years agricultural productivity in the agricultural sector has been negatively affected by unpredictable rainfall patterns attributed to climate change.

“Zimbabwe has a total of 220 000 hectares of installed irrigation capacity out of which 153 000 hectares is functional. “This is a sad reality because Zimbabwe has adequate water to irrigate two million hectares,” said VP Mnangagwa. “Because of the low level usage of irrigation, Zimbabwe is highly vulnerable to erratic rainfall patterns which directly affect our farm output and pose a huge threat to the attainment of self sufficiency in food security and nutrition.”

He said during the 2014 /15 season cropping season the country failed to realise the expected bumper harvest due to erratic rainfall in most parts of the country. VP Mnangagwa said maize and small grains production during the season decreased 49 percent and 71 percent respectively. As a result of this poor harvest last season the nation recorded a huge deficit and Government is working closely with development partners to address the issues.

VP Mnangagwa said Government has already put in motion a grain importation programmes to primarily assist the vulnerable population. “As a matter of urgency we need to assist rain fed farmers to better cope with rainfall variability. In this regard adaptation must cover a whole range of strategies from helping farmers to change crop plating dates, infusion of new seed varieties that are drought resilient to water harvesting through dams, weirs and any other method that slows down pace at which water flows to seas and oceans,” said VP Mnangagwa.

He said public and private players should come up with strategic recommendations on the approach research, technology and support services needed to increase agricultural productivity in the country.