The ManicaPost
GOVERNMENT has taken a conscious decision to prioritise projects critical to the economic development and social transformation of Manicaland by facilitating provision of public utility services in key areas.
This includes the provision of water and sanitation, electricity infrastructure, transport, ICT broadband services and modernising agriculture.
The delivery of these infrastructure projects under the difficult environment created by the Covid-19 exudes Government’s commitment to spur the province’s economic growth.
Manicaland has embarked on several projects funded by the Treasury under the Public Sector Investment Programme (PSIP) and devolution, in line with the National Development Strategy (NDS1) as the country works towards the attainment of an upper middle income economy by 2030.
NDS1 is the country’s economic blueprint running from 2021-2025, anchored on devolution and decentralisation and prudent use of national resources.
This has firmly put Manicaland on course to grow its Gross Domestic Product (GDP), especially considering the development of infrastructure and utilities, investment in all key sectors, value addition and beneficiation of major agricultural produce and minerals, particularly diamonds.
Value addition entails conversion of primary commodities into intermediate or finished goods for maximum benefit of derived value.
Major trunk roads are now being upgraded, new infrastructure being constructed, while additional water sources are being delivered to mitigate the impact of climate change.
The key to our success has been prioritisation of infrastructure interventions with the greatest impact.
Agriculture remains a top economic activity given the province’s agro-ecological regions that provide opportunities for dry land farming, irrigated agriculture and greenhouse farming for horticultural crops, forest plantations, tea and coffee production, as well as dairy production.
With about 80 percent of the population residing in drier natural regions II to V, whose agricultural performance suffer from climate change shocks, provision of water becomes key to spur economic growth and development.
By investing in the right infrastructure, the province, not only saves lives and livelihoods, but also lays a solid foundation for a more resilient economy going forward.
Over the past few years, the province was hit by drought, floods and Covid-19, with all of this exerting pressure on limited resources and capacities.
The increased scope, frequency and magnitude of climate change impacts on the provincial economy and people’s livelihoods cannot be ignored as it continues to escalate with each passing year.
Such impacts include the increased scarcity of drinking water for settlements, as raw water sources, particularly dams and boreholes, either dry up, break down or are non-existent.
The most notable manifestations of climate change were dealing subsistence agriculture a fatal blow, thus possessing serious threat to household food, nutrition and water security.
Government aptly responded to this through the Presidential Rural Development Scheme, in which it is drilling and equipping one solar powered borehole in each of the country’s 35 000 villages.
This intervention could not come at a better time.
It fits squarely in the provincial development plan as it will accelerate attainment of Vision 2030 by addressing food security, import substitution, poverty alleviation and eradication, access to safe and clean water and create employment opportunities.
Government has already acquired 40 borehole drilling rigs for this purpose, and the programme is in full throttle in Manicaland.
The boreholes will open avenues for local communities to establish horticulture gardens, drip irrigation, grow high-value horticultural crops, fisheries and piped water schemes, together with washing slabs and cattle troughs.
This compliments the Horticulture Recovery Plan and Agriculture and Food Systems Transformation Strategy – aimed at achieving a US$8, 2 billion agricultural sector by 2025.
Investing in water is one of the most important production assets, especially when coupled with modernising agriculture, as it can promote rural diversification and competitiveness, while increasing the quality of life of rural inhabitants.
Apart from agriculture, Manicaland, which is a strategic gateway to Mozambique, produces more than 70 percent of the diamond quantum.
It’s mountainous and spectacular views appeal to both local and foreign visitors.
It also boosts of key energy infrastructure that has seen more independent power producers setting up mini-hydro-power stations in Honde Valley and Nyanga.
With such an endowment of natural resources, not even the sky is the limit.
