Prevail Group of Companies has started construction of weir dams in rural communities in a landmark development aimed at averting water shortages.
A weir dam is a small, low dam built across a river or stream. Unlike a large storage dam, it is not mainly built to hold a huge reservoir. Its job is to raise the water level slightly so water can be diverted into a canal, pipe or irrigation channel, slow the flow and create a small pool for livestock, domestic use or a pump intake, and control and measure flow as water spills over the top in a controlled way. In effect, it acts as a low wall across a river, with water continuing to flow over it while a small, steady pool forms behind it for drawing water.
In Zimbabwe, farmers and councils often build weir dams on seasonal rivers to trap water for gardening, cattle and small irrigation schemes after the rains.
Presidential Adviser Dr Paul Tungwarara announced the initiative on X. As chairman of the Prevail Group of Companies, he said he was proud to announce that construction of weir dams had started in rural communities, describing the pilot project as the start of a long-term commitment to the people of Zimbabwe.
The El Niño-induced drought has caused failed harvests, livestock deaths and dry boreholes for many rural families. Weir dams capture and store rainwater when it falls, so communities have water when the rains fail. They support irrigation, provide drinking water for livestock, recharge underground water and reduce soil erosion. They are a practical, lasting answer to a changing climate.
The project is not bringing in outside labour. Local villagers are being employed to build the dams with their own hands. This gives households income during difficult times, teaches people valuable construction and water-management skills, and gives every community real ownership of its dam. A dam the community helped build is a dam the community will protect.
The project draws inspiration from the vision of President Dr Emmerson Mnangagwa that every village should have its own weir dam.
Together, the initiative aims to build a Zimbabwe where every village has water, every family has food and every community can stand firm against climate change.
The initiative aligns directly with Vision 2030 and the National Development Strategy 2, which place water security, food security, rural industrialisation and climate resilience at the centre of Zimbabwe’s drive towards an upper-middle-income economy. By ensuring that every village has reliable access to water for domestic use, livestock and irrigation, the weir dam programme supports increased agricultural productivity, rural livelihoods and community-led development, while also advancing the broader goals of leaving no one and no place behind, building climate-smart infrastructure and creating employment and skills within rural communities themselves.
