Story by Oleen Ndori
THE US$33 million Marovanyati Dam in Buhera District, Manicaland Province, has significantly improved livelihoods through enhanced agricultural productivity, higher crop yields and the introduction of aquaculture.
Commissioned by President Emmerson Mnangagwa in 2020, the dam has provided surrounding communities with reliable access to water for domestic use, agriculture and tourism-related activities.
Prior to the construction of the dam, the community faced acute water shortages that could not support household use or agricultural activities.
Marovanyati Dam has brought notable improvements across various sectors, including year-round farming.
The Murambinda Irrigation Scheme has been a major beneficiary, with farmers producing crops such as tomatoes, sugar beans and maize.
The dam has also supported the roll-out of Village Business Units (VBUs) under the Presidential Rural Development Programme with notable improvements to people’s livelihoods.
“People are being greatly assisted by Marovanyati, particularly in fish and other farming businesses, which are able to support their families,” a community member said.
“Since the construction of Marovanyati, we are really happy because now we can give clean water to our livestock, and those close to Marovanyati are able to benefit from irrigation schemes that are close to the dam,” a beneficiary said.
“Gardens are really thriving in this area, and this has been really helpful for us,” a villager said.
The Zimbabwe National Water Authority (ZINWA) confirmed that Marovanyati Dam has uplifted people’s lives.
“Water supply in Murambinda and surrounding areas has improved, even the irrigation schemes have enough water supporting people’s works, we also see that people are now able to fish farm on this Marovanyati dam, and we have also seen that the natural ecosystem of the area has improved since the construction of the dam,” ZINWA Manicaland Province officer Joseph Kadirira said.
Manicaland Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution Advocate Misheck Mugadza notes that the dam project has been a massive win for the province.
“Irrigable land that we had in 2021 was 4 248. Right now, we are on 27 000, and our target is 34 000, which we are expecting to close by the end of this year. Because we have other areas that are really earmarked for irrigation, like the Marovanyati project, where we have 1 250 hectares. That part of it is still under feasibility study. But there is one part, 400 hectares, that is named Murambinda, where work is likely to commence any time during the first quarter of this year. Muchekeranwa, we have 1 125 hectares of irrigable land that is going to be put under irrigation. We have the Osborne Dam, we have earmarked 3 000 hectares that should be put under irrigation and so on,” he said.
Since its inception, the Second Republic has been moving towards the completion of dams across the country, and we speak of the Gwayi-Shangani Lake, the Marovanyati Dam, Semwa Dam in Mashonaland Central Province, not forgetting the Kunzvi Dam in Mashonaland East Province.
Not only do the people have access to clean water, but they are also able to live off these water sources while responding to the calamities brought about by climate change.
