Zimbabwe is an agrarian country, with mining and agriculture arguably the backbone of the economy. Inevitably water resources plays a significant role in both the mining and agricultural sectors and the success thereof of these industries in contributing towards the country’s economic development.
Adequate water resources boosts agricultural and mining productivity and safe-guards future profits of the industries (minerals, crops, fisheries and livestock). It therefore makes sense that to safe-guard our water resources, which is the mainstay of the mining and agricultural sectors, we must focus on improved water management and ensure our approaches and resource extraction methods are sustainable.
Agriculture and food production is by far the largest user of water and the most important sector by employment especially for the medium to low-income population in Zimbabwe.
The mining sector is also growing at a steadfast pace with various players in the sector exploring the extraction of precious minerals and water use plays a big role in mining processes. Population growth trends in Zimbabwe indicate that increases in the demand for food over the next 25 years will be met by increasing the yield from lands already under cultivation. Irrigated land currently produces 40% of the world’s food on 17% of the world’s agricultural land.
In comparison, Zimbabwe produces over 70% of its food requirements through rain-fed and/or irrigated land. These statistics therefore tell us that, greater efficiency, innovation and improved management is required if we are going to maintain or surpass the country’s agricultural output and needs.
The economic benefits of a successful agricultural sector are far too great to realise and a cornerstone in helping to realise Zimbabwe’s 2030 vision of becoming a medium income economy. The mining sector attracts a substantial portion of Zimbabwe’s FDI, with recent figures indicating it contributes 65% to FDI.
With ongoing reforms and increased exploration, Zimbabwe is positioned for significant growth in its mining output, particularly in gold, PGMs, and lithium, as it aims to unlock its full mineral potential. Therefore, water resources is critical for the thriving of this sector.
The concept integrated water resources management can help us achieve this goal and set the foundations for sustainable management of agriculture and mining production thereby giving the country food security and mineral efficiency for the current and future generations.
The entire Zimbabwean economy is closely tied to rainfall variability meaning rainfall can be very erratic and unreliable over seasons. Improved water resources management is critical to the stability and security that is required to enable economic development.
Integrated water resources management is a process that promotes the coordinated development and management of water, land and related resources, in order to maximise the resultant economic and social welfare in an equitable manner without compromising the sustainability of vital ecosystems.
This process has been defined by the Global Water Partnership that is widely accepted and has been tried and tested in various regions of the world. Integrated water resources management (IWRM) aims to brings issues of enabling environment, institutional structures, management instruments and infrastructure together in a coordinated way, so that management of water resources is effectively and efficiently implemented.
Through effective and efficient management of water resources, agricultural and food productivity is inevitably boosted. Increased agricultural and mining productivity brings with it a whole basket full of opportunities that propel economic development.
Drivers of IWRM in the country are the National Coordination Unit that sits under the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement, UNICEF, and the Global Water Partnership Zimbabwe Chapter that is hosted by the Upper Manyame Sub-Catchment Council office. These are institutions where further advice can be sought and partnerships made in the drive towards sustainable agricultural and mining productivity.
This article therefore calls for the policy makers and decision makers to adopt practices such as integrated water resources management that looks holistically in improving agricultural and mining productivity.