KEY POINTS
- Zimbabwe plans to commercialize 460 rural irrigation schemes to boost productivity and profitability.
- The government aims to create village, youth, and school business units to enhance rural development and food security.
- Rural industrialization and agricultural development are central to achieving Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030 goals.
In Zimbabwe, there are plans to commercialize 460 irrigation schemes in rural areas with the view of improving production and profitability for communal irrigation schemes throughout the country. This ambitious upgrade was declared by the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development, and Investment Promotion in its 2025 Budget strategy paper.
Under this scheme, the Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (ARDA) will offer technical assistance in terms of competent business managers to transform these schemes into commercially viable ventures thus decreasing the burden of having to rely on government funding.
Government Initiatives
To enhance rural development and transformation, the government aims at developing 35000 village business units, 4800 youth business units and 9600 school business units. Such measures are expected to create income streams for households and raise standards of living and food security.
Obert Jiri, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Rural Development also expounded on the government’s progress towards food security. He enumerated some of them as irrigation development, construction of dams, borehole drilling and Pfumvudza/Intwasa program.
“The development of agriculture should enhance the industrialization of the rural area to enhance the achievement of Vision 203010, agricultural development will enhance the growth and development of the country,” Prof. Jiri.
Rural Industrialization
The change of rural irrigation schemes is under the Presidential Rural Development Programme which comprises different aspects like the Vision 2030 Accelerator Model, Pfumvudza/Intwasa, Presidential Poultry Scheme, Presidential Goat Scheme, Presidential Fisheries Scheme, Presidential Blitz Tick Grease Scheme, and the Presidential Cotton Inputs Scheme.
A recent visit to two village business units in Zunde B and Camperdown in Mt Darwin, Mashonaland Central Province, revealed the positive impact of these empowerment programs. Villagers reported improved livelihoods and the ability to sustain themselves through these initiatives.
Mr. Staford Kabaira of Zunde D noted that rural industrialization had significantly helped communities fight hunger and create employment opportunities.
Vision 2030
Zimbabwe’s agricultural sector has the potential to improve rural communities through income generation, employment opportunities, and enhanced food security. The country has become food secure since the advent of the Second Republic, thanks to a robust agriculture, food systems, and rural transformation strategy, with surplus cereals in all but the worst drought years.
The government’s efforts to promote rural industrialization and agricultural development are crucial steps toward achieving Vision 2030. These initiatives not only aim to eliminate poverty within rural communities but also to foster national growth and development.
In conclusion, Zimbabwe’s transformation of rural irrigation schemes into self-sufficient business units is a promising step toward a brighter future. By focusing on food security, employment, and income generation, the country is paving the way for sustainable development and improved livelihoods for its rural communities.
