Zimbabwe has secured a US$5.4 million grant from China to develop nine irrigation schemes covering nearly 1,600 hectares across six provinces, as the Government seeks to reduce the agricultural sector’s exposure to increasingly unreliable rainfall ahead of the 2026/27 farming season.
Obert Jiri, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development, announced the agreement, saying the investment would strengthen irrigation capacity, improve farmers’ livelihoods and protect national food security against climate-induced droughts.
“Today, we signed a US$5.4 million grant agreement with China to support nine irrigation schemes across six provinces, covering nearly 1,600 hectares,” Jiri said.
The agreement falls under Pillar Three of the Government’s Six-Pillar Drought Response Plan, which seeks to mobilise resources and strengthen partnerships to accelerate irrigation development.
“We must de-link our production from the weather. Our farmers must be able to produce throughout the year, regardless of rainfall patterns,” Jiri said.
The grant comes as Zimbabwe prepares for a potentially difficult agricultural season, with forecasts pointing to below-normal rainfall in several parts of the country.
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Irrigation is central to efforts to reduce dependence on rain-fed agriculture, which leaves farmers vulnerable to prolonged dry spells and droughts.
However, the proposed expansion also highlights the scale of investment required to make irrigation a more significant contributor to national food production.
The nine schemes will cover nearly 1,600 hectares, but the announcement did not specify their locations, implementation timelines, expected crop output or the number of farmers expected to benefit.
The project's impact will depend not only on the completion of the infrastructure but also on ensuring that farmers have access to reliable water supplies, affordable energy, agricultural inputs and viable markets.
Zimbabwe has already been pursuing a broader irrigation expansion programme.
In May 2026, the Government was reported to be targeting 350,000 hectares of irrigated cereal production, compared with approximately 150,000 hectares then considered suitable for cereal production under irrigation.
The report also cited a combined US$120 million irrigation investment programme and plans to rehabilitate existing schemes.
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