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National dam levels reach over 85%
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Zimbabwe's national dam levels currently stand at more than 85 percent full, indicating a strong water security position as the winter cropping season gains momentum, the Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) has announced. This marks a significant improvement compared to the same period last year when dam levels were at 71 percent capacity.
In a recent statement, ZINWA highlighted that 620 farmers have signed water abstraction agreements, allowing them to draw water from national dams for irrigation of winter crops such as wheat, barley, and potatoes. Additional farmers have secured agreements to support the irrigation of sugarcane, tobacco, citrus fruits, horticultural crops, as well as watering of livestock and pastures.
ZINWA spokesperson Mrs. Marjorie Munyonga emphasized the importance of formalising water use through these agreements. She urged farmers who have planted crops without valid abstraction agreements to approach ZINWA and regularize their water use promptly.
"Water abstraction agreements allow ZINWA to optimally allocate the available water resources among competing users. Unauthorized water abstractions distort demand patterns and complicate the release of water from dams based on existing agreements," Mrs. Munyonga explained. She further advised farmers with agreements to strictly observe their allocated water limits.
The authority has made it clear that no water will be released to individuals without valid abstraction agreements. To safeguard equitable water distribution, ZINWA is intensifying monitoring and surveillance efforts along river channels to detect and eliminate illegal water abstractions that could disrupt water allocations for compliant farmers.
The announcement comes as a welcome relief following the official close of the 2025 winter wheat planting window. Farmers surpassed government targets, planting 122,142 hectares of wheat against the original goal of 120,000 hectares.
Last week, the government projected a national grain surplus of 812,000 tonnes. This forecast is based on an anticipated cereal reserve of three million tonnes, which includes an expected harvest of 2.9 million tonnes and an existing reserve of 83,526 tonnes. This figure significantly exceeds the country's annual grain requirement of 2.2 million tonnes, highlighting promising food security prospects for Zimbabwe in the coming year.
In a recent statement, ZINWA highlighted that 620 farmers have signed water abstraction agreements, allowing them to draw water from national dams for irrigation of winter crops such as wheat, barley, and potatoes. Additional farmers have secured agreements to support the irrigation of sugarcane, tobacco, citrus fruits, horticultural crops, as well as watering of livestock and pastures.
ZINWA spokesperson Mrs. Marjorie Munyonga emphasized the importance of formalising water use through these agreements. She urged farmers who have planted crops without valid abstraction agreements to approach ZINWA and regularize their water use promptly.
The authority has made it clear that no water will be released to individuals without valid abstraction agreements. To safeguard equitable water distribution, ZINWA is intensifying monitoring and surveillance efforts along river channels to detect and eliminate illegal water abstractions that could disrupt water allocations for compliant farmers.
The announcement comes as a welcome relief following the official close of the 2025 winter wheat planting window. Farmers surpassed government targets, planting 122,142 hectares of wheat against the original goal of 120,000 hectares.
Last week, the government projected a national grain surplus of 812,000 tonnes. This forecast is based on an anticipated cereal reserve of three million tonnes, which includes an expected harvest of 2.9 million tonnes and an existing reserve of 83,526 tonnes. This figure significantly exceeds the country's annual grain requirement of 2.2 million tonnes, highlighting promising food security prospects for Zimbabwe in the coming year.
Source - The Herald
