Zimbabwe needs to extend land under irrigation from the current 206 000 hectares to at least 2,5 million hectares in order to insulate itself from hunger caused by drought.

By Farai Mabeza

ZIMBABWE may take up to 50 years to develop its irrigation potential in what could dampen hopes for an early agricultural sector recovery.
Conrad Zawe, the director of irrigation development in the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development, estimates that Zimbabwe needs to extend the land currently under irrigation from 206 000 hectares to at least 2,5 million hectares in order to insulate itself from the recurring droughts.
To reach 2,5 million hectares, it would take not less than 25 years and a maximum of 50 years, depending on the amount of money that could be raised annually to fund this mammoth initiative.
Over US$10,5 billion would be required to develop the 2,5 million hectares.
This year, government will provide US$6,1 million for irrigation development, a paltry 0,06 percent of the total required to meet the target.
This comes amid advice by the Meteorological Services Department that government should plan for unexpected dry weather conditions notwithstanding indications, that the 2016/17 agricultural season would receive normal to above normal rainfall.
In the wake of the erratic weather conditions, irrigation has been identified as one of the key strategies of countering the unreliable rainfall patterns that now characterise Zimbabwe’s summer rainfall seasons.
Climate change has led to dwindling rainfall over the years at a time when viable commercial irrigation schemes were disrupted by violent expropriation of former white commercial farmers’ farmlands from 2000.
Most of the equipment on farms allocated to indigenous blacks is now lying idle or beyond repair while subsistence farmers in the communal areas, where dams are now heavily silted, are not doing much because of under-funding.
In his 2017 National Budget, Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa, said a key component of the country’s agrarian reform strategy would be the need for investments in irrigation infrastructure, which reduce the uncertainties farmers face from dependence on rain-fed agriculture, while assuring them of uninterrupted production of crops throughout the year.
To take advantage of existing water bodies, the 2017 budget proposed to mobilise US$24,8 million for irrigation, prioritising rehabilitation and construction of smallholder irrigation schemes.
Targeted for year 2017 are 800 irrigable hectares at 11 irrigation schemes that have been allocated US$4,9 million.
Twenty smallholder irrigation schemes in Manicaland and Matabeleland South Provinces have also received support to the tune of US$1,7 million under the European Union (EU) Smallholder Irrigation Support programme.
The Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation is also funding the rehabilitation of 545 hectares of smallholder schemes in Bikita, Gutu, Masvingo, and Zaka districts to the tune of US$1,5 million.
From the International Fund for Agricultural Development, US$4 million will go to irrigable land used by 15 000 households, as well as rain-fed land belonging to 12 500 households in Manicaland, Masvingo, Midlands and Matabeleland South Provinces.
A total of 674 hectares at Nyakomba Irrigation Scheme will be funded by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency at a cost of US$5 million.
Other irrigation schemes in Manicaland, Midlands and Mashonaland Central will be funded by the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development at a cost of US$6,5 million.
The Kuwait Fund for Arab and Economic Development has committed US$35,7 million to support 2 520 hectares of land at Zhove irrigation project in Beitbridge for intensive citrus production, to benefit 5 000 households.
The 2017 National Budget also has a provision of US$1,2 million for operations and maintenance of existing irrigation schemes around the country.
Zimbabwe used to have some of the best irrigation infrastructure in the region, but most of it collapsed after the war veterans-led violent land seizures, which began in 2000.
Some of the equipment is now irreparable after enduring years of neglect.
Agricultural Extension Services supervisor, Orpheus Ndhlovu, said farmers still face a huge problem competing with cheaper produce smuggled from South Africa in spite of the support they are receiving from well-wishers and government.
“Our farmers if they produce they face stiff competition from the South African side. Or border is so porous. Some go to South Africa and steal. Others buy cheaply and smuggle (it into Zimbabwe),” said Ndhlovu.
Smuggling on the South Africa-Zimbabwe border has been a problem for many years.
To bring contraband into the country smugglers use undesignated roads along the border where there is no fence and where army patrols are weak.
The border is so porous that Zimbabweans working on South African farms just cross the Limpopo River when they want to visit home.
The fence is badly damaged and there are some areas where it is completely down.
The smugglers are not deterred or bothered by the army and police patrols on either side of the border: They simply bribe the law enforcement agents.
The Zimbabwean farmers also pay for electricity at commercial rates, which is too costly making them even more uncompetitive.

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