The Zimbabwean government has signed nine investment agreements with private companies to significantly expand the country's irrigation infrastructure. This initiative, spearheaded by President Emmerson Mnangagwa's administration, aims to bolster food security and provide a consistent supply of agricultural raw materials for both domestic industry and export.
The move, expected to increase irrigated land from 217,000 hectares to 496,000 hectares, is seen as crucial in mitigating the impact of unpredictable weather patterns on agricultural production.
"Today we start wetting the paper, but the eventual goal is to wet the fields. If we do that, we would have succeeded in climate-proofing our agriculture," said Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Professor Obert Jiri, who oversaw the signing ceremony in Harare.
Prof. Jiri emphasized the importance of creating a weather-independent food system and the role of investors as key partners in achieving this goal.
"Transforming Zimbabwe into a weather-independent food hub remains a core priority of the Ministry," he said, noting that the ministry will focus on facilitating access to irrigation for farmers, with the next phase being the practical development of irrigation systems.