Gibson Mhaka Zimpapers Politics Hub
ZIMBABWE’S record winter wheat harvest has done more than set a new production benchmark. It has strengthened the country’s capacity to withstand an El Niño-affected 2026/2027 summer season, when erratic rainfall and prolonged dry spells could threaten food production.
With farmers having harvested 670 981 tonnes by November 4, surpassing last year’s record of 640 000 tonnes, the country enters the potentially difficult season from a position of greater confidence.
The harvest, about 31 000 tonnes above the previous record, consolidates wheat self-sufficiency as the Government strengthens national grain reserves.
The target is to build the Strategic Grain Reserve (SGR) to 450 000 tonnes by December this year and 600 000 tonnes by October 2027. Reserves are insurance against production shocks and household vulnerability when rains fail.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development, 127 518 hectares of the 130 316ha planted had been harvested by November 4, representing about 98 percent of the crop.
The national average yield stood at 5,3 tonnes per hectare. Mashonaland West contributed 217 285 tonnes, Mashonaland Central 143 235 tonnes and Mashonaland East 131 892 tonnes.
Permanent Secretary in the ministry Professor Obert Jiri said harvesting was almost complete.
“We have seen quite some good progress across the provinces as wheat is being harvested. So far we are almost there, almost 98 percent finished in terms of harvesting,” he said.
Prof Jiri said favourable weather and adequate harvesting machinery helped farmers complete the exercise with minimal losses.
“So far, so good in terms of combining capacity, we were on top of the situation. In terms of the harvesting itself, we are good,” he said.
Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers union president Dr Shadreck Makombe attributed the performance to the availability of key production enablers.
“We have experienced the best season ever this year. All the key drivers were available. No electricity outages, no water challenges. Mechanisation was on point, from tractor availability to combine harvesters,” he said.
The lesson ahead of El Niño is that resilience depends on planning and reliable services, not rainfall alone.
The Government’s Cabinet-approved Six-Pillar Drought Mitigation Strategy provides the framework.
The first pillar is strengthening strategic grain reserves at national, provincial and household levels.
The 600 000-tonne national target is complemented by efforts to encourage communities to retain grain, including the 10kg contribution from beneficiaries of the Presidential Input Programme.
The second pillar is climate-smart production, anchored by Intwasa/Pfumvudza, precision planting, mulching and irrigation. The achievement reinforces the case for expanding irrigation and water harvesting.
The third pillar focuses on financing and input systems, including coordination among the Grain Marketing Board, Agricultural Development Agency, seed houses and other suppliers. Timely access to seed, fertiliser, chemicals and finance is essential.
The experience of contracted wheat farmers illustrates the value of dependable support.
Strategic Grain Reserve 200ha Plus Club chairperson Mr Tichaona Mapfoche said: “Having been contracted by ARDA, we had all the required resources in place to drive our season.”
He added: “There is no reason for us not delivering to the Grain Marketing Board.”
The fourth pillar addresses livestock, which is central to rural livelihoods. Drought preparedness includes fodder production, water provision and livestock drought mitigation centres.
Of the targeted 169 centres, 82 had been solarised, improving access to water. Protecting livestock safeguards household assets and rural incomes.
The fifth pillar is import substitution. By boosting domestic production and prioritising locally produced grain, Zimbabwe can reduce exposure to external supply disruptions and conserve foreign currency.
Prof Jiri said locally produced wheat would meet domestic requirements and strategic reserve needs, with any surplus potentially channelled to livestock feed manufacturers. Proceeds could help finance imports of hard wheat used in premium bread production.
“This approach will enable us to extract maximum value from our domestic harvest, support local agro-processing industries, strengthen livestock production and reduce unnecessary pressure on foreign currency,” he said.
The sixth pillar is coordination, early warning and capacity building.
Meteorological Services Department forecasts must be translated into timely advice for farmers, supported by extension officers and training.
Government’s 1 855 farmer field schools provide a platform for sharing practical knowledge, while co-ordination among ministries, local authorities, institutions and farmers ensures that warnings lead to action.
The wheat programme also shows how institutions can contribute to national food security. Universities, prisons, the military and the Agricultural and Rural Development Authority are part of production planning.
Prof Jiri cited universities that grow wheat for their own use, mill it into flour and bake bread. Government wants more institutions to establish small milling plants and bakeries to reduce costs and deepen value addition.
Midlands State University’s nine-million-cubic-metre dam, supporting irrigation on 800 hectares, illustrates how water infrastructure expands productive capacity.
Other water investments are important. Government has rehabilitated 100 hectares of irrigation, while the Gwayi-Shangani pipeline is expected to support irrigation on 10 400 hectares.
Such projects can reduce dependence on seasonal rainfall, provided water reaches farmers and schemes are maintained.
They also give practical meaning to the call for climate-smart production: infrastructure must be matched by efficient water use, functioning equipment and farmers trained to manage it.
The record harvest is a strong foundation, not a reason for complacency. Wheat is largely produced under irrigation, while much of the summer crop remains exposed to rainfall variability.
The El Niño threat demands that the discipline evident in the winter season be applied across agriculture: water secured, inputs delivered on time, livestock protected and farmers equipped with usable climate information.
Prof Jiri said: “These developments demonstrate the growing resilience and productive capacity of our agriculture sector.”
The next test is to convert that capacity into broad-based preparedness. If the six pillars are implemented with urgency and coordination, the wheat record will mean more than another production milestone.
It will provide a stronger buffer for households, farmers and the national economy as Zimbabwe confronts the uncertainty of the coming season.
