The Smallholder Irrigation Revitalisation Programme (SIRP) is a seven year programme which contributes to the resilience of smallholder farming communities in Zimbabwe. Its goal is to reduce vulnerability of smallholder farmers to: food and nutrition insecurity, climate change effects and economic shocks. The Programme Development Objective is to sustainably increase rural households’ income in SIRP supported schemes and adjacent rainfed areas.
To achieve this SIRP will rehabilitate and or expand 6,100 ha of existing irrigation schemes including surrounding rainfed areas mostly in communal areas with the aim of increasing productivity, production and incomes, as well as improving access to agricultural markets and financial services.
The Programme seeks to benefit poor smallholder farmers in Natural Regions III, IV and V in the provinces of Manicaland, Masvingo, Matabeleland South, and Midlands.
- 15,000 households with an average of 0.4 ha in the irrigation schemes,
- 12,500 households with no access to irrigation in the adjacent rainfed areas,
- 2,000 youth and
- 500 extension and technical service providers.
The total programme costs are estimated at USD 51.68 million over seven years. It is financed by the Government of Zimbabwe, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), SIRP beneficiaries and the OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID).