Online Reporter
Debra Matabvu
Senior Reporter
THE nationwide roll-out of irrigation productivity booster kits has begun, with distribution to farmers in Mashonaland Central Province now complete and allocations in Mashonaland West and Manicaland set to commence.
The programme is part of a broader national drive to boost agricultural productivity, strengthen food security and climate-proof farming through irrigation development.
Launched by President Mnangagwa in August, the initiative is backed by a US$2 billion loan facility that will support A1 farmers over the next 10 years.
Under the plan, 1 000 A1 farmers in each of the country’s 10 provinces are set to benefit from the Productivity Booster Kit Programme, which provides equipment for irrigating between one and three hectares per farmer.
Each beneficiary receives a US$6 000 loan package to purchase irrigation kits that include sprinklers, pipes, risers and hydrants — covering at least one hectare.
The loans are payable over five years under flexible repayment terms designed to ensure accessibility for smallholder farmers.
In an interview with The Herald, Permanent Secretary for Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Professor Obert Jiri, said the roll-out was gathering momentum nationwide.
“We started with Mashonaland Central and have completed that province,” he said.
“Distribution is now in Mashonaland West, followed by Manicaland. Other provinces are in the process of identifying beneficiaries, and each province will have 1 000 farmers.”
At least 10 000 A1 farmers are expected to benefit under the first phase of the programme, which aims to enhance productivity and resilience against climate shocks.
Commercial Farmers’ Union (CFU) president Dr Shadreck Makombe urged farmers to seize the opportunity, describing the initiative as a major step forward for the country’s agricultural transformation.
“It is meant to boost productivity and increase yields, so we are encouraging farmers to take advantage of these kits,” he said.
“It’s a step in the right direction that will certainly uplift and modernise the agriculture sector.”
The Productivity Booster Kit Programme is expected to help A1 farmers produce over 10 million tonnes of grain per year, contributing an estimated US$6,14 billion to agricultural GDP and generating more than US$1,59 billion in additional household income.
The roll-out builds on Government’s ongoing efforts to expand the country’s irrigation footprint.
Through the Accelerated Irrigation Rehabilitation and Development Plan, the irrigated area has grown from 175 000 hectares in 2019 to 223 000 in 2025.
The programme leverages Zimbabwe’s 10 700 dams to ensure consistent water supply and reduce the impact of mid-season droughts.
Launched in 2021, the irrigation expansion plan aims to develop 496 000 hectares under irrigation by 2030, including 350 000 dedicated to summer cereal production.
This represents the fastest pace of irrigation development since independence, with a projected 27 percent increase by the end of the decade.
Experts estimate that 350 000 hectares of irrigated land could produce an additional 1,8 million tonnes of maize annually — enough to meet national consumption needs and create a sustainable export surplus.
