Zimbabwe has secured over US$227 million in two investment deals for irrigation projects.

The agreements were announced at the Zimbabwe Irrigation Investment Conference in Harare on July 5.

The first agreement, worth $172 million, was signed between the government of Zimbabwe and Valley Irrigation for the supply of centre pivot irrigation systems to cover 23,000 hectares (ha) of land.

In the second agreement, the Zimbabwe government signed a $55 million deal with Pedistock Munda Wedu, a Spanish company, to develop 12,725 ha of land.

According to a news release, the signing of the agreement is a significant step forward in Zimbabwe’s drive to increase its irrigated land. Zimbabwe’s president, Emmerson Mnangagwa, said the country has already seen a 24 percent increase in irrigated land since 2019. Addressing the conference, he emphasized the importance of climate-resilient agricultural practices, as well as the need to properly channel essential resources to complement government efforts.