AfrElec: Zimbabwe earmarks $1bn to build 12 dams for power generation, irrigation, drinking water

Zimbabwe’s government has said it has budgeted $1bn to accelerate the construction of 12 “high impact” dams whose waters would be used for electricity generation, provision of drinking water, and for irrigation of at least 350,000 hectares of cropland by 2027.

State-owned daily The Herald on April 25 cited the Minister of Lands and Agriculture, Anxious Masuka, and his deputy, Davis Marapira, as saying some of the reservoirs would have mini hydro plants and tourism infrastructure. One planned for south of the southern African country will export water to neighbouring South Africa.

“We have reviewed all the dams which are under construction. We then do irrigation schemes and water for drinking. That’s rural development and then we do fisheries and we also do electricity generation. We then accelerate irrigation development,” Masuka said.

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