As Zimbabwe joins the global community in marking World Wetlands Day, environmental groups and human rights advocates are warning that the country's wetlands are under threat--despite their crucial role in sustaining communities facing increasing climate pressures.
Southern Alliance for Indigenous Resources (SAFIRE) Director Estella Toperesu described wetlands as far more than unused land, particularly in the country's drought-prone areas.
"In communities where rainfall is increasingly unpredictable, a healthy wetland keeps the local water table high. It ensures that wells do not run dry, even during the harshest seasons. These ecosystems provide water for livestock and household gardens that sustain families," Toperesu said.
Toperesu explained that wetlands act as natural buffers against climate extremes reducing the impact of flash floods while providing reliable water sources during prolonged dry periods. SAFIRE has promoted an integrated approach that links environmental protection with improved rural livelihoods, encouraging communities to conserve wetlands while benefiting economically.
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"For years, communities relied on destructive wetland cropping, which was unsustainable.We are transitioning to alternatives such as solar-powered nutrition gardens located away from sensitive wetland areas," she said.
These gardens allow families to grow high-value crops such as tomatoes and leafy vegetables without harming wetlands, improving food security and household incomes.
In Buhera, SAFIRE has worked with local authorities to restore the Chidziyamango and Romorehoto wetlands.
The initiative has boosted groundwater recharge and natural water purification while enabling communities to diversify into fish farming, beekeeping, and horticulture.
"People are now earning income from fish and honey. This stability does more than just fill stomachs. Fewer food-related stresses mean lower risks of gender-based violence," Toperesu said.
SAFIRE also works to ensure that national environmental laws including the Environmental Management Act are applied locally.
"If you destroy a wetland to plant a single row of maize today, you lose your water for the next ten years," Toperesu warned.
She added "When you protect the environment, you are protecting people's lives, their dignity, and their future."
Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR) echoed these concerns, highlighting that wetlands are among the world's most productive ecosystems, critical for water purification, climate regulation and disaster risk reduction.
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ZLHR noted that indigenous knowledge has historically guided wetland management with communities treating wetlands as sacred spaces subject to customary rules.
Despite constitutional protections, ZLHR cautioned that weak enforcement continues to expose wetlands to illegal development, agriculture and pollution citing Monavale Wetland in Harare as a site under severe threat.
The organisation called on government, local authorities, the private sector and citizens to strengthen wetland protection and integrate Ramsar Convention obligations into national law.
"Indigenous knowledge remains a valuable tool in contemporary conservation. Wetlands are not just ecosystems--they are lifelines for communities." ZLHR said.
