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Mr Paul Zacharia

Andrew Chimedza Herald Reporter
Government must do more to invest in irrigation infrastructure to counter the devastating impact of climate change on the country’s food security position, a Zimbabwe Farmers Union official has said.The union’s director Mr Paul Zakariya told The Herald yesterday that there was need to promote irrigation development to boost crop yields and livelihoods.

“We are experiencing droughts frequently and Government needs to find ways to promote investment in irrigation infrastructure,” he said.

“Farmers are facing numerous challenges related to poor prices, high cost of production, lack of finance and irrigation infrastructure.

“Farmers need irrigation infrastructure support to enable them to boost yields during prolonged dry spells.”

Mr Zakariya expressed concern that the country was not doing enough to invest in irrigation infrastructure even though the nation had vast water bodies.

“Irrigation can help farmers to salvage some yields in the event of prolonged dry spells that normally affect crops,” he said.

He also said there was need to promote water harvesting technologies to boost food security and fight poverty.

Late rains and floods that affected most parts of Zimbabwe and the entire southern Africa region late last year and early this year have subdued the overall food security situation in the region.

The food security situation in the region is expected to be less than satisfactory during the 2015-16 marketing year as a result of poor rains in most parts of the region, dry spells in some areas, and floods in other areas.