Zimbabwe needs $14,2 billion to rehabilitate infrastructure such as roads, dams, other transport network systems and develop new ones, a local economist Medicine Musiiwa said yesterday.
Presenting background research findings on the economics of climate change adaptation in Zimbabwe, Musiiwa, a University of Zimbabwe (UZ) lecturer, said the country was lagging behind in infrastructural development and rehabilitation.
“To rehabilitate infrastructure and build new facilities such as weatherproof tarred roads, dams and other transport networks, the country needs $14,2 billion,” he said.
He was addressing a workshop organised by the Zimbabwe Environmental Regional Organization (Zero) in partnership with the International Institute of Environment and Development in Harare.
Musiiwa also noted low-lying areas in the southern part of the country could be turned into non-maize-producing areas because of increasing temperatures. A 2,5 degree Celsius increase in temperature would result in a decrease in net farm revenue of about $0,4 billion.
“Rainfall is predicted to fall by 5-20% by 2080 based on 1961-1990 averages,” he said. He added: “Evaporation and transpiration will increase by between 4-25% and run-off water decline by up to 40%.”
Identified dams for rehabilitation through the public-private sector partnerships include Chisumbanje, Middle Sabi irrigation expansion, Mushumbi Pools in the Dande area, Buri, Chirundu, Zihove and Gwayi-Shangani Dam.
“With almost 10 000 dams already built, but not fully operational, there is need to quantify water levels in those dams to measure water use efficiency against evaporation, especially looking at the impact of climate change negatively biting on local farmers,” another UZ lecturer Juliet Gwenzi said.
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Zero director Shepard Zvigadza said: “Research on impacts, vulnerability and adaptation to climate change is essential to enable evidence-based decision-making that responds adequately to the country’s needs.”
The workshop was organised to generate awareness of climate change adaptation activities established in different local communities around Zimbabwe.
