Smallholder Irrigation Revitalization Programme

The Smallholder Irrigation Revitalization Programme (SIRP) aims to revitalize 6,100 hectares in 152 existing smallholder irrigations schemes in the semi-arid zones of four provinces of Zimbabwe: Manicaland, Masvingo, Matabeleland South and Midlands. Over 27,700 poor rural households are expected to benefit.

The programme will cover some 46 per cent of the country's estimated total irrigation-equipped area of about 13,000 hectares. It will improve productivity and climate-resilient crop production under both rainfed and irrigated conditions, through diversification of crops and increased adoption of improved varieties, combined with climate-smart agricultural practices and, most importantly, enhanced access to markets. In addition, the programme will improve the management of natural resources at the village level, including soil and water conservation in the catchment areas adjacent to the irrigation schemes.

SIRP is designed to help drought-hit smallholder farmers improve their access to markets and fertilizers and adopt climate-smart agricultural practices to boost productivity so that they can generate sufficient revenues to defray the costs of operating and maintaining irrigation schemes.

The programme will also help rural households in the target districts achieve food and nutrition security and become resilient to the effects of climate change and economic shocks.