17May2010 IPU FMS options Finance v4.ppt 0 RWHI EXPERIENCES FROM ZIMBABWE Presented by: Douglas Gumbo 28 th September 2015 RAISING AWARENESS ON RAINWATER HARVESTING TECHNOLOGIES FOR SMALL- SCALE IRRIGATION: CAPACITY-BUILDING, TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER AND UP- SCALING

17May2010 IPU FMS options Finance v4.ppt 1 Introduction Introduction Justification and main purpose for RWH in the region Justification and main purpose for RWH in the region Emerging issues in RWH Emerging issues in RWH Recommendations Recommendations Presentation Outline

17May2010 IPU FMS options Finance v4.ppt INTRODUCTION 2 1.Passion in rainwater harvesting is required (farmer, promoter/ extension) 2.Experiences:  based on field observation and direct involvement in RWHI  Practical Action, ZWP, PELUM College, RHAZ, SEARNET, C/FFA initiatives in Lesotho, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe, 3 yrs. ago on my PhD sites in Gwanda and Zvishavane and Rainwater Community of Practice webinar

17May2010 IPU FMS options Finance v4.ppt 3 Commonly known RWH sites

17May2010 IPU FMS options Finance v4.ppt 4 1.The livelihoods of >70% of the population are agrobased 2.Water is needed to sustain field crops, livestock, vegetables and rangelands 3.Most smallholder farmers depend on seasonal rains (most cases erratic rainfall) 4.Severe water shortages are experienced during the dry season; crops, livestock and vegetation are lost 5.Limited water security have resulted in loss of at least half of potential production or harvest failure 6.Good water harvesting for different purposes therefore is required to reverse or improve the situation JUSTIFICATION

17May2010 IPU FMS options Finance v4.ppt MAIN PURPOSE OF RWH 1. Productive purposes 2. Domestic purposes 3. Environmental improvement (rangelands and underground water recharge) 4. RWH for productive purpose common in Zimbabwe especially; Infield rainwater harvesting (semi-arid regions) Harnessing runoff for small dams and ponds Rock water harvesting Abstraction of water from the sand including sand dams Roof water harvesting 5. These efforts were/are promoted by NGOs and government Departments such as AGRITEX and Department of Irrigation but this is very much dependent on PASSION of individuals and availability of extension staff even where this has been institutionalized 6. Other efforts include Young Professional Capacity Building in RWH done by RHAZ 5

17May2010 IPU FMS options Finance v4.ppt EXAMPLES OF RWH 6 Irrigation powered by wind pump or solar or Gravity fed

17May2010 IPU FMS options Finance v4.ppt EXAMPLES OF RWH 7

17May2010 IPU FMS options Finance v4.ppt EMERGING ISSUES ON RWH Various RWH technologies work but there are a number of issues that needs to be addressed; 1. Limited or no feasibility studies done to map rainwater harvesting potential sites in Zimbabwe: Matching RWH technology/infrastructure and the area (biophysical potentials and socioeconomic parameters) is required. 2. RWHI are labour intensive and require collective investment especially labour and finance. They become commonly managed initiatives resulting in complex group dynamics and ultimately the tragedy of the commons becomes a challenge 3. Lack of affordable finance to buy the RWH technologies 4. Limited role of the private sector 8

17May2010 IPU FMS options Finance v4.ppt EMERGING ISSUES ON RWH 4.. Conveyance a. Where do we need to promote gravity fed technologies. Hand operated pumps, diesel pumps, solar pumps, electric pumps and solar pumps? b. Need to review the effectiveness and costs of the technologies used by farmers to abstract and deliver water to the plots or storage facilities or where needed. c. smallholder farmers are not able to meet operational costs, maintenance costs of the pumps, electricity and water bills. 5. Farmer behaviour: Farmer innovators versus dependency syndrome from incentives offered, limits ownership resulting in poor maintenance and some RWHI being neglected 6. Availability of technically sound information that can easily inform the farmer is limited 4. Not much investment in semi-arid areas as it is easy to distribute food than invest in INITIATIVES that address the food insecurity situation in the long term 9

17May2010 IPU FMS options Finance v4.ppt THANK YOU Feedback and discussion