The Smallholder Agriculture Cluster Project recently held a learning event for project and ministry staff on road water harvesting. The workshop was attended by officials from the project, Department of Irrigation and the Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (RIDA). Officially opening the workshop, SACP National Project Coordinator, Dr Godfrey Nehanda said the workshop was necessitated by the need to get introductory exposure to road water harvesting since it is a new phenomenon in Zimbabwe.
The workshop was facilitated by, Frank van Steenbergen who highlighted that the country’s roads can become green roads. Green roads present a triple win with very little additional investment, such as reduced road maintenance costs, reduced degradation of the landscape around roads and beneficial use of water for roadside communities. The other benefits of green roads include water security, agricultural production, risk management, connectivity, land protection and health. Van Steenbergen said the technology of road water harvesting is currently being implemented in countries like Ethiopia, Mozambique, Zambia, Malawi, Sudan and Kenya.
Van Steenbergen explained that there is great need to engage community members so that the project is well received by the communities and there is willingness to take part in the project. He noted that there could be encroachment into fields and the need for additional land for the green roads will be on a case-by-case basis. With regards to water quality the presenter highlighted that water is not necessarily harvested from the road surface. The presenter went on to highlight that this was just an introduction since the actual training takes a period of 5 days.
Mr Micahel Maluki presented on the Kenyan experience where green roads for water are key in rainwater harvesting for climate resilience, improved community livelihoods and resilient transport functions. Green roads for water program include creating beneficial water and land management, improved livelihoods for the local communities fostering inclusive growth, climate resilient infrastructural development, reduced roads maintenance, reliable road connectivity, reduced transport cost to access vital services and economic integration, pollution control caused by dusty roads, preserving biodiversity and climate resilience.
The Deputy Director for the Rural Infrastructure Development Agency, Engineer Mapako explained that since the project has a specified length on which it will work ,the Rural Infrastructure Development Agency (RIDA) will work on the remaining lengths so as to ensure a complete length which leads to the areas of interest. Eng. Mapako expressed gratitude for having had his team take part in the Road water harvest training as it came at a relevant time when they had been working on a Road erosion control project. He emphasized the importance of harnessing road water especially in the rural areas for use even for livestock watering.
