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Elita Chikwati

Agriculture Reporter

The agricultural industry has been plunged into mourning following the death of director of the Department of Irrigation Development, Dr Conrad Zawe, who was instrumental in designing irrigation schemes around Zimbabwe.

Dr Zawe succumbed to Covid-19 on Monday at the age of 61.

He was buried yesterday at his rural home in Chihota yesterday.

Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement Deputy Minister, Vangelis Haritatos yesterday said Dr Zawe was a hard worker who was dedicated and did not hesitate to explain things, express his opinion and share ideas.

“I will miss the many great meetings I had with him,” he said.

“I remember in 2018, after I won my election as the Member of Parliament for Muzvezve Constituency, having a conversation with him where he proposed to me a new policy under irrigation development.

“None of us knew that only a few weeks later, I would be appointed the Deputy Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water, and Rural Resettlement. What we discussed shortly after I won as a Member of Parliament will actually be gazetted any day now, thanks to all the hard work that Dr Zawe put in.

“He had great vision for the irrigation development of this beautiful nation for us to fully utilise the 10 000 water bodies that we have. No doubt we will continue from where he left off and we will move our nation from primarily rain-fed agriculture, to climate smart agriculture. He is a hero to us.”

Dr Zawe’s son, Idanai, said he was a loving father who took care of the family, including relatives.

“Our father was a great man and also assisted many relatives and other communities with the knowledge and expertise,” he said. “We have lost a hero.”

Federation of Young Farmers Club Zimbabwe spokesman, Mr Hugh Sibanda, said Dr Zawe’s death shocked the organisation.

“Dr Zawe had an open-door policy and encouraged and supported innovation within the irrigation field,” he said.

“He worked well with the young farmers community and always had gems of wisdom to share on agricultural matters.

“The progress of any agricultural strategy requires a well-informed and well-crafted irrigation strategy. The farming community and the entirety of the country has thus lost a key pillar in the development agenda for Zimbabwe. His shoes will be very difficult to fill.”

Dr Zawe joined the ministry as extension officer (irrigation) in 1984 and rose through the ranks to director for irrigation, the post held until his death.

He developed strategies for completing the construction of many outstanding Public Sector Investment Programme (PSIP) irrigation projects resulting in projects including Nyamangara, Ngezi , Machirori in Mashonaland West, Nyanyadzi, Nenhowhe, Chiduku Tikwiri in Manicaland, Bannockburn , Ruchanyu , Shungudzevhu, Mhende in Midlands, Dangarendove, Sadza, Igudu in Mashonaland East and Bulawayo Kraal in Matabeleland North, Silalabuwa in Matabeleland South and Shashe in Masvingo among others.

Dr Zawe is survived by wife Evencia and five children.