The upcoming irrigation investment conference will besides boosting irrigation development, provide opportunities for public-private sector engagements, as the country moves to explore ways of climate-proofing aagricultural production.
Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Vangelis Haritatos highlighted that the conference that is slated for the July 5, 2024 is going to set the platform for mobilisation of resources to complement Government efforts in irrigation development.
"Development partners or investors will get to know what opportunities are available, what incentives are on offer, the business cases and expected benefits," he said.
Running under the theme 'Public-Private Partnerships for Sustainable and Structured Irrigation Financing to deliver Food Security Everywhere, Everyday' the conference will provide the stage for a multi- sector approach towards irrigation development.
"Panel discussions will provide an opportunity for players to interact and bring to the fore issues that need further attention. Deals and commitments will be structured for further engagements," said Dep Min Haritatos.
The conference is set to host farmers, farmer unions, investors, multi-lateral financial institutions, local financial institutions, embassies, donor organisations, United Nations agencies, non-governmental oganisations, private sector, and universities, international and local Irrigation and/or engineering institutions and the Government.
"Irrigation transformation has always lacked finance, so by bringing all these stakeholders together we will collectively be able to provide a solution to this problem. The event is a must-attend for stakeholders in the agricultural space," Dep Min Haritatos observed.
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The country has water resources with an estimated potential to irrigate over two million hectares, hence the need to foster investments to tap into these water bodies to increase the area under irrigation.
"Currently, only 217 000 hectares are equipped with functional irrigation infrastructure, representing just over 10 percent of our potential," he said.
An increase in irrigable land is crucial in supporting the attainment of an empowered and prosperous upper middle-income economy as well as achievement of National Development Strategy (NDS1) targets.
In light of climate change, Government has reviewed the target for land under irrigation from 350 000 hectares to 500 000 by 2025 under the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS 1).
"Of these 500 000 hectares, we will target 350 000 hectares specifically for cereal crops so that we can guarantee food, nutrition, fibre and oil security for the foreseeable future while the other 150 000 hectares will be for sugar cane, coffee, tobacco and many others," Dep Min Haritatos added.
Said Dep Min Haritatos: "This conference is critical for us to tell the world about the true potential of Zimbabwe's agriculture sector. Through irrigation development, we will truly guarantee that our country is food, nutrition, fibre and oil secure, and that we will not only be the 'breadbasket of Africa' again but this time the breadbasket of the World."
