Climate Change Devastates Zimbabwe's Agriculture and Environment

Strategic Insights -

Rising temperatures, frequent droughts, and unpredictable rains have severely impacted Zimbabwe's agricultural sector, forcing the country to rely heavily on food imports and donations. Once the continent's breadbasket, Zimbabwe is now struggling with food insecurity due to climate change. The government has recognized the need for climate adaptation and is promoting irrigation, water harvesting, and conservation methods to ensure the survival of the agriculture sector, which employs 70% of the population. However, climate change is also having devastating impacts on the country's health, wildlife, and water access, highlighting the urgent need for sustainable, climate-resilient strategies across sectors.

Key Takeaways:

  • Zimbabwe's agriculture is heavily reliant on rain, with 80% of the country's farm land using rainwater, making it highly vulnerable to droughts and unpredictable rainfall.
  • The country's mean annual temperature has risen by 0.03°C per year from 1970 to 2016, and is expected to rise by 1-1.5°C by 2040, potentially exceeding 3°C by 2050.
  • Irrigation is being promoted as a key strategy to build climate resilience, with the government aiming to put 350,000 hectares of farm land under irrigation.
  • The government has started implementing a comprehensive irrigation development strategy, targeting irrigation development using idle waterbodies and dams under construction.
  • Only 6% of Africa's cultivated land is under irrigation, compared to 14% in Latin America and 37% in Asia.
  • Climate change is also having an impact on the country's health outcomes, particularly for vulnerable populations, with vector-borne diseases like malaria becoming more prevalent due to shifting climate patterns.
  • The government is undertaking an ambitious programme to drill 35,000 solar-powered boreholes in both urban and rural areas to improve access to water.

Statistics:

  • Zimbabwe's yearly temperature rise: 0.03°C per year from 1970 to 2016.
  • Projected temperature rise by 2040: 1-1.5°C.
  • Projected temperature rise by 2050: potentially exceeding 3°C.
  • Hectares of farmland under irrigation: currently 221,000, with a goal of 350,000.
  • Percentage of cultivated land under irrigation in Africa: 6%.
  • Number of solar-powered boreholes to be drilled: 35,000.
  • Megaliters of water produced by Harare (City Council) per day: 320.
  • Megaliters of water in demand per day: 1,200.
  • Expected reduction of elephant habitat by 2050: 40%.
  • Number of elephants in Zimbabwe: 100,000-plus.

Sources:

  • World Bank
  • Global Climate Risk Index
  • United Nations Environment Programme report
  • Water-wise: Smart Irrigation Strategies for Africa by the Malabo Montpellier Panel of agricultural experts (2018)
  • Bindura University of Science Education
  • Down To Earth (DTE) interview with Professor Obert Jiri
  • Down To Earth (DTE) interview with Hardlife Mudzingwa
  • 2020 study in Hwange National Park