Harare, Feb. 1 -- The World Bank (WB) has warned that climate change could erode up to 12 per cent of Zimbabwe's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) annually if the country does not implement robust measures to tackle the phenomenon.

In its latest Zimbabwe economic update report launched in Harare, Zimbabwe's capital, the WB urged Zimbabwe to bolster resilience against climate-related shocks, focusing on agriculture as a critical pillar of the economy.

Statistics from the Zimbabwean government show agriculture contributes from 11 per cent to 14 per cent of GDP and provides employment for some 70 per cent of the population and about 60 per cent of all raw materials for the industry.

The country's heavy reliance on rainfed systems and maize pro...