Tiyani Hahlani

The newly built masonry weir in Mangoma, Ward 26 of Chivi, is set to transform food and water security for the local community, providing a crucial safeguard against the region’s intensifying climate challenges.

Built under the CARE Zimbabwe-led Takunda project, the weir is engineered to capture and store rainwater during the wet season.

This stored water will support a two-hectare community garden and provide drinking water for livestock—directly addressing the top priorities identified by residents.

Delilah Takawira, project director at CARE Zimbabwe, emphasized the initiative’s core mission.

“The main goal is to give the community reliable access to water for productive activities, strengthening their resilience against challenges and shocks.

“This selected site is ideal as it offers a solid foundation and a wide basin, making it suitable for constructing a weir with sufficient capacity for the garden,” said Takawira.

The strategic importance of the weir lies in its ability to mitigate the devastating effects of droughts and erratic rainfall.

By harvesting water when it’s abundant, the community gains a lifeline during dry spells—ensuring continuity in crop production and safeguarding livelihoods.

Takawira noted that Mangoma is just one part of a broader, multi-district water security initiative.

“The Mangoma weir is not an isolated effort. It’s part of a larger Takunda project that has established 111 gardens supported by sustainable water infrastructure, including 104 solar-powered boreholes, 2 protected springs, and 5 masonry weirs across Buhera, Chivi, Mutare, and Zaka,” said Takawira.

Chivi District alone now hosts two of these weirs, marking a significant investment in climate-smart agriculture.

This integrated approach ensures communities have multiple, reliable water sources to sustain them through environmental stress and build long-term resilience.