Rutendo Chirume
A wetlands conservation programme in Bikita which has been running since 2022 is significantly helping to improve lives of communities of wards 5 and 31 of the district.
The Building Sustainable Livelihoods and Climate Resilience to Mitigate Displacements is being implemented by the Environmental Management Agency (EMA) with funding from Christian Care Zimbabwe.
It has provided water for agricultural and household use to a total of 18 villages in the two wards. Beneficiaries are running relatively successful nutrition gardens, fish farming, and beekeeping.
These details were revealed during an EMA-organised tour of the Mukweture wetland in Ward 31 and Chapedo wetland in Ward 5 on February 14, 2025.
The two wetlands were fenced off to protect them from intrusive human and livestock activities, and this has allowed the wetlands to recover from years of destructive activities.
The communities were then rendered assistance to build weirs downstream of the wetlands, and these consistently supply water to the community-run projects.
One villager who is benefitting from the programme is Svodai Svarika who praised the programme for providing the means for villagers to diversify their sources of income.
“There is great improvement in our lives as a community. We used to struggle with water shortages but we now have water throughout the year. We formed groups of ten people who focus on poultry, farming, and even sewing projects.
“This has been possible by the continuous availability of water. The projects have increased income generation, created employment, improved food security and changed our way of life in a significant way,” said Svarika who is also secretary for the Mukweture project.
Climate migration
At the Chapedo wetland, Headman Tinashe Madhuku said the rehabilitation of the wetland had rejuvenated optimism in an otherwise poor community faced with severe climate change related shocks.
“There are over 300 abandoned homesteads in Ward 5 from where families have left and moved elsewhere due to increased water shortages. I am now optimistic because some families are now coming back to revive their homes.
“The availability of water has improved food security which was the most haunting issue in this area,” said Madhuku.
During the tour, EMA Masvingo Provincial Manager Milton Muusha revealed that the Building Sustainable Livelihoods and Climate Resilience to Mitigate Displacements programme had seen over 12 000 hectares of wetlands being restored since 2021.
Zimbabwe is set to host the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Wetlands (COP15) in Victoria Falls in July this year.
