HARARE- The Government is planning to fully optimize at least 10 600 big and small water bodies across the country to avert ravaging effects of climate change, a cabinet Minister has said.
El-nino induced weather phenomenon that the country is currently experiencing is a wake-up call for authorities to walk the talk on utilizing water bodies for irrigation.
Responding to a question on Government’s policy on capacitation of irrigation schemes to feed the nation posed by MP Mutokonyi during a question and answer session in the August House this Wednesday, the Skills Audit and Development Minister, Paul Mavima said the Government is seized with the issue of irrigation development.
“The issue of irrigation development is an issue that the Government is seized with, partly prompted by the fact that we are experiencing drought. We realise that we have a considerable number of water bodies.
“The figure that the Government has been told about is 10 600 water bodies, some of them very big and others small, to even little weirs that can serve small communities throughout the country,” said Mavima.
He said Government is determined to implement irrigation development programme to address the impact of recurring drought.
“As Government, we need to undertake a very rigorous programme for irrigation development and every one of those water bodies should be utilised for irrigation purposes so that we avert disaster in situations where we have droughts which have become almost like a perennial issue as we either get droughts or we get other disasters that are related to climate change,” Mavima said.
He revealed that Government will soon hold a conference focusing on irrigation development and is also in the process of courting investors to invest in irrigation.
“Very soon, there will be a conference that will focus on the development of irrigation. We will try as much as possible to bring investors to invest in irrigation across the country,” he said.
He added that the dams such as Muchekeranwa, Marovanyati, Gwayi-Shangani and Thuli-Manyange that are going to come into existence should be developed to enable the country reach optimal levels of irrigation.
