Latest news with #Chimanimani
Zawya
30-07-2025
- Climate
- Zawya
Africa's climate adaption: How Zimbabwe is reimagining agriculture?
Climate change-related conditions such as heatwaves, droughts & floods are leading to reduced crop yields, sanitation problems, disrupted power generation and wildlife crisis. Now, efforts are underway towards climate adaptation After bridges were washed away during Cyclone Idai, villagers of Chimanimani district use a makeshift structure to cross the river. Summary Zimbabwe, once an agricultural exporter, now faces severe food insecurity due to persistent climate change impacts Rising temperatures, frequent droughts and unpredictable rains have devastated rainfed farming, forcing food imports Government adopts strategies like irrigation, water harvesting and conservation farming to build climate resilience Climate change intensifies health risks, water shortages, and ecological threats, affecting livelihoods, wildlife and children Climate change has gradually wiped off the surplus from the country's rainfed agriculture. Realising that the good old times are gone for good, the African country is now racing to implement an array of climate adaptation strategies. Significant vulnerability Zimbabwe is particularly vulnerable to climate change because of its geographic location, heavy reliance on rainfed agriculture and susceptibility to extreme weather events, according to the World Bank. As a result, the country's food security, water resources and overall economic stability are threatened. Ranked among the top 20 countries most affected by extreme weather between 2000 and 2019 by the Global Climate Risk Index, Zimbabwe is experiencing an increasingly warming trend, with more frequent and intense heatwaves, and longer, more severe droughts. The country's mean annual temperature rose by about 0.03°C per year from 1970 to 2016 and is expected to rise by 1- 1.5°C by 2040, potentially exceeding 3°C by 2050, a United Nations Environment Programme report showed. With 80 per cent of the country's agriculture reliant on rain, increasingly frequent and longer droughts, shorter rainy seasons and hotter temperatures, cyclones and floods have turned this landlocked African country that was once considered the continent's bread basket into one that increasingly relies on food imports and donations. Experts also trace the increase in pests and diseases affecting crop yields to the warmer conditions related to climate change. Irrigation for 350,000 hectares The government has started promoting irrigation, conservation farming and water-harvesting to ensure the survival of the agriculture sector, on which 70 per cent of the population depends for employment and sustenance. 'A comprehensive irrigation development strategy is being implemented,' Professor Obert Jiri, permanent secretary, ministry of lands and agriculture, told DTE. The strategy targets irrigation development using idle waterbodies (existing dams) and dams under construction, he shared. 'Zimbabwe is currently the most dammed country in sub-Saharan Africa, with more than 10,700 dams already storing water, most of which is underutilised.' A total of 221,000 hectares is currently under irrigation, the minister shared. 'But this includes about 100,000 hectares under plantation crops, leaving about 120,000 hectares for cereal production.' Jiri said for the country to return to its former glory of being the bread basket of the region, some 350,000 hectares of farmland has to be put under irrigation, and this is what the government is working towards. Zimbabwe is not the only country that was late to adopt irrigation to climate-proof farming — the problem is felt across the continent. Only six per cent of Africa's cultivated land is under irrigation, which poorly compares with other regions such as Latin America (14 per cent) and Asia (37 per cent), according to a 2018 report Water-wise: Smart Irrigation Strategies for Africa by the Malabo Montpellier Panel of agricultural experts. Water-harvesting and conservation farming The government is also establishing 900 pilot and learning sites to promote integrated rainwater harvesting. This follows a study by a local university that proved the technique to be an effective climate change adaptation and mitigation strategy, especially for smallholder farmers who constitute the bulk of the farmers in Zimbabwe. Because of colonial land distribution patterns, most of the country's 1.5 million small-holder farmers — those with less than 10 hectares of land — are largely found in arid and semi-arid parts of the country. For over a decade, George Nyamadzawo, professor of soil and environmental science at Bindura University of Science Education in Zimbabwe, worked with smallholder farmer communities in the Marange area, an arid area on the eastern part of the country, to study water harvesting techniques. From their research, Nyamadzawo and his team established that contour ridges and infiltration pits can reduce soil and water loss from runoff by more than 50 per cent and 75 per cent respectively, while increasing crop yields by up to seven times from 0.4 tonnes / hectare to 3 t / ha. 'We were promoting tied contours, infiltration pits and other water harvesting technology as methods that can be used by farmers in dry regions such as these,' Nyamadzawo explained. 'After integrating tight contours and infiltration pits, we managed to increase crop yields to at least three tonnes per hectare.' He added that some of the farmers realised maize yields of 4-6 t / ha, while vegetable production increased 10 times. This water-harvesting strategy is being implemented together with a conservation farming method that is called pfumvudza, a concept that emphasises efficient use of resources on small plots, aiming for optimal management and increased productivity. Climate change expert Peter Makwanya told Down To Earth (DTE) that as water becomes increasingly scarce due to climate change, the future of farming is in irrigation, conversation farming and improved disease and pest management. 'This makes water harvesting and conservation fundamental.' Health impacts Climate change is also having an effect on the country's health outcomes, particularly for vulnerable populations. Vector-borne diseases like malaria are becoming more prevalent due to shifting climate patterns, while others like cholera, typhoid and dysentery easily flourish in conditions of limited water supplies. 'Harare (City Council) is producing around 320 megalitres of water per day and demand on a daily basis is 1,200 megalitres, leaving most residents without water, resulting in a situation where some of them resort to unsafe water sources,' Community Water Alliance (CWA) coordinator Hardlife Mudzingwa told DTE. To improve the water supply situation, the government is currently undertaking an ambitious programme to drill 35,000 solar-powered boreholes in both urban and rural areas. 'The boreholes are helping improve access to water for many people,' Mudzingwa said. Other climate vulnerabilities In addition to agriculture, water and health, other sectors such as electricity, forestry and biodiversity, as well as infrastructure and human settlements are also highly exposed to the depredations of climate change. It is also causing grazing and water shortages as well as the heat stress that threaten the survival of the country's wildlife species, especially those sensitive to heat, such as elephants, of which the country already has an oversized population. A 2020 study in Hwange National Park projected a reduction of 40 per cent of elephant habitat by 2050 and a change in elephant population distribution because of climate change.
Zawya
17-06-2025
- Business
- Zawya
African Development Bank project restores electricity in Zimbabwean communities following devastating Cyclone Idai
In March 2019, Cyclone Idai tore through Zimbabwe's eastern districts with unprecedented fury, leaving behind a trail of devastation. Among the hardest hit regions were Chimanimani and Chipinge, where the lifelines of modern life—electricity, roads, and water systems—were severed in a matter of hours. The 155-kilometer powerline stretching from Middle Sabi to Charter, once the backbone of energy supply for Manicaland Province, lay in ruins, plunging over 300,000 people into darkness. For more than two agonizing months, industries ground to a halt, hospitals operated without reliable power for life-saving equipment, and school computer labs stayed closed. "The cyclone brought operations to a near standstill, recalls Witness Teteni, engineering foreman at Charter Sawmills, a facility employing 320 workers. "We experienced numerous power faults that severely disrupted our work. We had to rely on generators, which are expensive to run and not environmentally friendly. The African Development Bank stepped forward with a $24.7 million Post-Cyclone Idai Emergency Recovery Project (PCIREP), implemented through the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), the United Nations agency dedicated to implementing humanitarian and development projects, in partnership with the Government of Zimbabwe. The goal was not just to restore what had been lost, but to provide a better, stronger, and more resilient replacement. A beacon of light and hope The electricity component of PCIREP, representing $3.7 million in strategic investment, focused on reinforcing 155 kilometers of 33kV overhead power lines and constructing a new 12-kilometer 33kV distribution line in Chipinge to separate the two districts' power supplies. It also included infrastructure upgrades such as replacing wooden poles with steel, using installation techniques that help these poles better withstand extreme weather conditions. The project also saw the supply of essential equipment, including vehicles and tools, to the state-owned Zimbabwe Electricity Distribution Company (ZETDC). The African Development Bank-supported project has helped restore power to over 300,000 people. 'We have significantly reduced the number of faults in the system,' explains engineer Selina Mudzinganyama, who oversaw the rehabilitation. "Maintenance costs have also gone down because the upgraded design is built to withstand harsher conditions. Clinics, schools, and households now enjoy reliable power, and businesses can operate without constant interruptions." Echoing this, Andreas Moyo, development engineer for ZETDC's Eastern Region, says, "We now have just our normal faults. The safety, especially for these lines that we reinforced, has improved a lot. We only experience small faults now—one hour, and it's sorted, whereas before we could easily go quite a long time without resolution." In Chimanimani's health facilities, the impact has been life changing. Clinical nurse Patricia Chikandi describes the transformation: "Reliable electricity has been a game-changer for us. During emergencies, we no longer worry about power cuts, and our vaccines are stored safely in temperature-controlled refrigerators. It has improved the quality of care we provide." Farai Ndlovu, a student at Chipinge High School, says, "With electricity back, we can use computers in the lab and study after dark. This is helping us prepare better for exams and giving us skills we wouldn't have access to otherwise." For agriculture workers, it means more earnings. "Before the power line was restored, our irrigation systems were unreliable, and we often lost crops,' says smallholder farmer Tsitsi Mutswairo. 'Now, with consistent electricity, our yields have improved significantly, and we're earning more from our produce." It's a similar story for Leonard Nyamukondiwa, an agro-processor in Chipinge. "Before the rehabilitation, we couldn't meet our targets because of constant outages. Now, we're able to process more produce, and our profits have increased." Electricity equals entrepreneurship Perhaps nowhere is the project's impact more visible than in Jacob Mukunukuji's workshop in Marimauta Village. Before the power line restoration, Jacob's business was severely constrained by the high cost of diesel generators. Now, with access to reliable three-phase industrial power, his small workshop has become a hub for skills development, training apprentices from local vocational centers, and creating a ripple effect of opportunity throughout the community. "Having electricity is very, very important because I can make whatever I want," Jacob explains, gesturing toward his creations—rip saw tables, grinding mills, and maize processing equipment that serve farmers across the region. He points to Paul, whom he trained and now employs as a welder in his workshop. "He is part of the fourth batch I am training. One of my first graduates, Danmore Majuta has his own copper workshop at Rusitu. Another female apprentice is manufacturing window frames and building materials for general local housing maintenance." A model for sustainable development Today, the lights are on in Chimanimani and Chipinge. Community elder and farmer Jeremiah Mutasa highlights the transformation: "The power lines have brought hope back to our region. We have electricity for our homes, our farms, and our schools. It's more than just power; it is the light that keeps our community alive." The project, which aligns with Zimbabwe's National Development Strategy (NDS1), demonstrates how targeted infrastructure investments can transform entire regions. As the African Development Bank's Power Engineer, Seaga Molepo sums it up: 'The electricity infrastructure interventions under this project exemplify the critical intersection of disaster recovery and sustainable development. The successful collaboration between the Bank, the Government of Zimbabwe, and UNOPS proves that when we align our efforts with clear strategic priorities – particularly 'Lighting and Powering Africa' – we can deliver transformative results that improve the quality of life for the people we serve.' Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB). About the African Development Bank Group: The African Development Bank Group is Africa's premier development finance institution. It comprises three distinct entities: the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF) and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF). On the ground in 41 African countries with an external office in Japan, the Bank contributes to the economic development and the social progress of its 54 regional member states. For more information:
