Zimbabwe Intensifies Irrigation Expansion to Strengthen Food Security by 2030

Zimbabwe is accelerating its nationwide irrigation expansion programme as part of broader efforts to build a climate-resilient agricultural sector and secure long-term national food self-sufficiency.

Under the country’s Vision 2030 development agenda, Government aims to increase land under irrigation from about 216,000 hectares to 350,000 hectares by 2030, a target expected to guarantee annual maize production of at least 1.8 million metric tonnes even during severe El Niño conditions.

The initiative is designed to reduce reliance on rain-fed agriculture while strengthening food security, agricultural productivity, and rural economic growth in the face of increasingly unpredictable weather patterns.

As part of the programme, Government is rolling out Presidential Irrigation Booster Kits to A1 and smallholder farmers across the country. The kits, which include solar-powered pumps, pipes, and sprinkler systems, are capable of irrigating between one and five hectares per household, helping thousands of rural farmers transition from subsistence agriculture to commercial production.

At the same time, the rehabilitation and modernisation of ageing irrigation infrastructure is reviving hundreds of communal irrigation schemes that had previously fallen into disrepair.

Authorities say modernisation efforts now feature the installation of centre pivots and high-efficiency drip irrigation systems aimed at improving water conservation, boosting productivity, and enhancing climate adaptation within the agricultural sector.

The irrigation expansion drive is also stimulating domestic industry, with local companies increasingly manufacturing irrigation equipment and components that were previously imported, helping to lower costs and improve access to modern farming technologies.

Government says continued investment in irrigation infrastructure remains critical to achieving Vision 2030 goals centred on food self-sufficiency, agricultural resilience, rural industrialisation, and sustainable economic development.

By Witness A Phiri