By 
By Ross Moyo
Climate projects backed by the Government of Zimbabwe, the United Nations Development Programme and the Green Climate Fund are reaching nearly 50,000 people in southern Zimbabwe, as the country moves to protect farming communities from increasingly unpredictable weather.
The programme is focused on practical interventions that support agricultural production in areas where unreliable rainfall and prolonged dry spells threaten food security.
Nearly 50,000 people have so far benefited from climate information services under the partnership. The services provide farmers with seasonal forecasts, early warnings and planting advice to help them make better farming decisions.
To strengthen the accuracy of this information, Government and its partners have improved climate data collection at 14 priority weather stations across the country. The upgraded stations are expected to improve weather forecasting and early-warning systems.
As part of the programme, 230 Farmer Field Schools have been established in participating districts. The schools serve as platforms for farmers to learn climate-smart farming methods, including conservation agriculture and water management.
Women make up 67 percent of participants in the Field Schools, reflecting their central role in smallholder agriculture in southern Zimbabwe.
The initiative has also focused on financial inclusion. A total of 463 Village Savings and Lending groups have been established in target communities. The groups allow members to save and borrow locally, enabling them to invest in farming, diversify income and recover from climate-related shocks.
In addition, the programme has expanded access to climate-resilient irrigation, helping farmers to continue production in areas where rain-fed agriculture is no longer reliable.
Officials say the interventions are aimed at helping rural households increase productivity, diversify livelihoods and build resilience to droughts and other climate shocks.
Agriculture remains the mainstay of rural livelihoods in Zimbabwe, with a large portion of the population depending on rain-fed farming.
The partnership between Government, UNDP and the Green Climate Fund shows how international climate finance can be directed towards community-level projects that combine training, access to finance, irrigation and climate information.
The projects are being implemented across southern Zimbabwe, where climate variability has had a significant impact on farming in recent years.
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