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    Climate Change and Water Resources Planning, Development and Management in
                                    Zimbabwe




The 2013 National Water Policy of Zimbabwe prepared to guide the recovery of the water sector
notes that water is the core development issue that is central to the nation’s economic recovery,
growth and social development. Water plays a key role in the performance of priority sectors of
the economy – agriculture, energy, rural and urban development, industry, mining, tourism,
health and environment. A large part of the country is semi-arid with highly variable climate.
Droughts frequently have major impacts on food security, hydro-power generation, industrial
production and urban and rural water supply. The nation also has a history of severe floods
driven by cyclones. Floods impose high social and economic costs due to damage to property
infrastructure and livelihoods and caused losses of lives.

The Issues Paper on climate change and water resources planning, development and management
in Zimbabwe was prepared as a recommendation of the National Water Policy and as the sector’s
input to the National Climate Change Response Strategy. It notes that human induced Climate
Change is likely to intensify natural climate variability and contribute to an even higher level of
vulnerability.

The paper was prepared on the basis of limited surface and groundwater data and limited climate
modeling work, and an analysis of case studies of Harare and Bulawayo urban water supplies,
Roswa dam for rural water supply and irrigation, Limpopo basin irrigation and the Zambezi river
hydropower production. It highlights potentially serious implications of climate change on
future water availability; with per capita water availability expected to reduce by 38 to 48 % by
2050 and 2080 even under low population growth rate. Rainfall, runoff and groundwater
recharge rates are projected to decrease across the country and with impacts on the water and
water related sectors – agriculture, manufacturing, energy, health and others. These impacts are
significant and economy wide but are likely to be worse in the most water stressed catchments in
the south. The paper also notes limitation in the existing infrastructure planning and design
standards and guidelines and procedures for operating water supply, irrigation, energy and other
water resources infrastructure. The paper recommends the preparation of a comprehensive
climate change strategy (based on detailed climate modeling, water resources assessment and
water balance analysis) for the water and agriculture sectors, the two sectors that are likely to be
impacted the most under climate change.