The growing climate crisis is forcing a major rethink in agriculture, with experts warning that the country’s heavy dependence on rain-fed farming is becoming increasingly unsustainable.
Worsening droughts, rising temperatures and erratic rainfall are threatening rural livelihoods and food security, particularly in drought-prone regions such as Matabeleland.
This reality was evident last Friday when the Wanezi Dam and irrigation infrastructure were commissioned in the Insiza district, Matabeleland South, offering fresh hope to communities battling recurring dry spells. The government, working with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and funded by the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, commissioned the climate-resilient water infrastructure meant to protect vulnerable rural communities from worsening climate shocks.
For a country where agriculture remains the backbone of rural livelihoods, the message from Wanezi was clear: Zimbabwe can no longer depend on rainfall alone.
UNDP resident representative Ayodele Odusola said climate change was no longer a future threat but a present danger affecting livelihoods and food security.
“Climate change projections clearly show a warmer and drier future for Zimbabwe, with an increased likelihood of heatwaves, greater rainfall variability and longer dry spells, with implications for more occurrences of drought,” Odusola said.
He said climate shocks were becoming more severe and costly.
“Climate shocks are intensifying and becoming more costly. These are not temporary disruptions,” Odusola said.
“They are structural fractures, putting societies under strain, weakening institutions and testing whether our collective resolve is strong enough to respond.”
Zimbabwe has in recent years endured repeated droughts, with El Niño-induced dry spells leaving millions food-insecure and destroying crop yields across Matabeleland and other semi-arid provinces.
Insiza, known for low rainfall and frequent droughts, has been among the hardest hit.
For villagers in Wanezi, the dam is more than just a water reservoir; it represents hope for better harvests, reliable water supplies and improved livelihoods.
The rehabilitated dam now stores 1,7 million cubic metres of water and is designed to withstand extreme weather events, including a one-in-250-year flood.
The project includes a 30-hectare solar-powered irrigation scheme, piped water systems, a water treatment plant and an automated weather station to support climate-smart agriculture.
Agriculture minister Anxious Masuka said irrigation would be critical in protecting Zimbabwe’s food systems.
“The commissioning of the Wanezi Dam and associated infrastructure represents a significant step towards building a resilient agricultural sector,” Masuka said.
“Investments in irrigation, water harvesting and modern infrastructure are critical to ensuring food security and sustainable production in the face of climate change.”
The project directly supports 76 households under irrigation, while thousands more are benefiting from improved access to clean water and climate information.
At least 3 315 people now have access to safe water, while about 9 130 people benefit from climate forecasting and early warning systems.
The irrigation scheme has already planted 36 hectares under maize, sugar beans and chilli, with an anticipated harvest of 119.2 tonnes.
Expected sales from the current crop cycle are projected at US$65 600, with some produce already targeting export markets in Germany and the United States.