Story by Memory Chamisa
DAM construction and rehabilitation across the country, initiated by the Second Republic has become a game-changer for rural industrialisation, transforming many communities into economic greenbelts.
Wanezi Dam in Insiza District, Matabeleland South, originally constructed in 1952, and a major source of livelihood for local farmers, was severely damaged by Cyclone Dineo in 2016, leaving villagers in despair.
In 2024, the dam underwent rehabilitation under the government-led Community Climate Adaptation Water and Energy Project (CAWEP), implemented in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). A year later, the restored dam now supports a 35-hectare irrigation scheme and a piped water network, benefiting over 100 households and nearby schools.
“The rehabilitation of the dam has brought many benefits for us as a community. We now have irrigation schemes as women who are farming various cash crops that are not only boosting nutrition in our households but also providing a source of income,” a community member said.
“The dam is now providing water for household use as the piped water scheme is now in our villages. Before that, we used to carry water for more than 10 kilometers on our heads. The schools also now have clean water for use; children no longer have to carry water to school,” a beneficiary said.
“The rehabilitation of this dam has significantly boosted the agriculture aspect in not just our village but others by providing crucial water resources for irrigation, which leads to increased crop yields and agricultural productivity,” a farmer said.
The Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Dr. Anxious Masuka, explains how dams are now being harnessed for multi-use, not just for water storage, but also for generating electricity, irrigation, clean water, fisheries, and various economic opportunities for rural communities.
“Government will not just build the dam and then turn its back, like it was the case in the past, but has now introduced a new approach of implementing various projects that feed from the dam in order to accelerate the 2030 Vision to make the country an Upper Middle-Income Economy.
“The dam is now an enabler, and we now have this integrated approach in which the President has asked us to track that progress. We are also varying the nature of how we do dams because the dam is not the project but a means to an end, and this enables communities to have water, electricity, irrigation schemes, livestock watering, making them a key tool for rural development and economic growth. This deliberate reconfiguration is set to reflect a broader vision linking water, energy, and food security,” he said.
The Second Republic has since invested in dam infrastructure, which has witnessed 12 dam construction projects across the country, including Kunzvi, Gwayi-Shangani, Semwa, and Vungu, among others.
The dam economy initiative is expected to benefit more rural communities and increase their contribution to the country’s Gross Domestic Product.
