Bongi Khumalo
Zimbabwe has secured a US$5.4 million grant from China to fund nine irrigation schemes spanning nearly 1,600 hectares across six provinces, advancing efforts to safeguard domestic food production against worsening climate risks.
The agreement, signed Tuesday, aligns with Strategic Pillar 3 of the government’s Six-Pillar Drought Response Plan.
Under this framework, Treasury and the Ministry of Agriculture are accelerating partnerships with bilateral donors, private sector firms, and foreign development partners to expand irrigation infrastructure and build long-term resilience against recurring droughts.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture Professor Obert Jiri emphasised the strategic imperative behind the investment, stating, “We must de-link our production from the weather.”
The grant targets a structural shift away from traditional, rain-fed farming across vulnerable agrarian districts.
With climate change driving erratic rainfall patterns, prolonged dry spells, and shortened growing seasons across Southern Africa, the development of reliable irrigation infrastructure is intended to support year-round cropping, stabilise local food supplies, and bolster smallholder farmer livelihoods.
The bilateral project highlights the expanding role of international climate finance and technical partnerships in executing national adaptation strategies, ensuring domestic crop yields remain stable even as the frequency of extreme weather conditions increases across the region.
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