In response to the pressing challenges of erratic rainfall and suboptimal water management practices, a pioneering initiative is underway in the country to bolster local communities’ resilience to climate change through sustainable groundwater utilization.
Spearheaded by UNESCO and the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, Climate, and Rural Development, the four-year project aims to address water and food insecurity, particularly affecting vulnerable groups such as women and girls.
Martiale Zebaze Kana, Head of Natural Sciences at UNESCO’s Regional Office for Southern Africa, highlighted the pivotal role of sustainable groundwater use in tackling these pressing issues. “The communities living in Binga and Buhera are grappling with erratic rainfall and suboptimal water management practices which are causing crop and animal production systems to fail,” said Kana.
Gilbert Mawere, Director for Water Development and Utilization in the Ministry, elaborated on the project’s key components. “Each borehole will be solarized,” he explained, detailing the process of installing solar technology in water wells to reduce extraction costs.
Mawere highlighted the transformative impact of the initiative, noting that water would be piped directly to villagers’ homes, and fishponds would be established near boreholes. Furthermore, Mawere emphasized the establishment of a Center of Excellence for Groundwater at the University of Zimbabwe, which will play a crucial role in providing research support for the project.
The project, titled “Strengthening Local Communities’ Adaptive Capacity and Resilience to Climate Change through Sustainable Groundwater Utilization in Zimbabwe,” aims to leverage Africa’s vast groundwater resources to enhance agricultural productivity.
Despite the continent’s abundant groundwater reserves, the report “Groundwater: Making the Invisible Visible,” published by UNESCO in 2022, highlights the underutilization of groundwater for irrigation due to cost constraints and a shortage of skilled professionals.
