Online Reporter
Theseus Shambare
Features Writer
ON the eastern edge of Marondera, Mashonaland East Province, where the November heat rolls across open fields and thunderclouds gather like a promise often broken, Addy Kasi once sat helplessly watching the weather close in.
His hired tractor – an old machine that rattled more than it ploughed – had broken down again.
It lay half-tilled across the field, its metal carcass pushed under the shade of a muhacha tree, while the first rains of the season were already darkening the soil.
For years, the youthful farmer battled late land preparation, unreliable hired tractors and breakdown-prone machinery that often stalled just when rains arrived.
At times, he planted weeks out of season, losing precious yield.
When his hired tractor failed last December, Kasi’s crop survived only because neighbouring farmers helped him finish tilling, but at twice the normal cost.
“It was exhausting,” he recalled. “Every year I felt like I was gambling with the weather. I wanted to expand, but without reliable machinery, farming felt like a risk I could not control.”
Last week, standing inside Bison Agromachinery’s Service Centre in Harare, Kasi wore a completely different expression — part relief, part excitement.
He had travelled from Marondera to choose a tractor of his own.
Moving from model to model, inspecting tyres, asking questions about fuel efficiency and spare parts, Kasi was finally preparing to invest in equipment he had only admired from afar.
“From the reviews I have been getting and the challenges with other brands, especially accessing spare parts, this is the right investment,” he said, smiling.
He stood beside the Belarus 92S, one of the new units unveiled under Zimbabwe’s expanding mechanisation programme. His decision is part of a much bigger national shift.
Zimbabwe is strengthening its agricultural mechanisation programme with the introduction of new tractors and combine harvesters; a move expected to boost productivity and modernise farming.
The drive comes as wheat farmers posted a bumper harvest this year, while the 2025/26 summer cropping season is projected to be another success — improvements officials attribute partly to increased access to tractors and harvesters.
The latest unveiling featured the BELARUS 92S tractor, the GS12 combine harvester, and tractors ranging from 15HP to 130HP.
Attendees also toured Bison Agromachinery’s service facilities and warehouses, which now anchor the maintenance and technical support network for farmers nationwide.
Although Zimbabwe currently has 16 000 functional tractors, the national requirement stands at 40 000.
The Government plans to double the fleet by 2030, supported by partnerships with manufacturers such as Deutz AG and the ongoing mechanisation initiatives launched under the Second Republic.
Farmers can purchase Belarus equipment under flexible terms; three-year repayment, no collateral and a 7,5 percent interest rate, making mechanisation accessible even to smallholders, cooperatives and irrigation scheme members.
The third phase of the Belarus programme alone delivered more than 3 700 tractors, solidifying the US$282 million partnership.
Officials say this influx of equipment has shortened land preparation periods, protected yields from climate variability and strengthened national food security.
“This programme is transforming agriculture”
Speaking at the Open Day, Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Deputy Minister, Vangelis Haritatos, said the Zimbabwe-Belarus mechanisation partnership remains central to agricultural modernisation.
“Through focused partnerships, technology transfer and capacity building, Zimbabwe has been able to enhance productivity, improve land preparation timelines and strengthen resilience against climate variability.
“This programme is not just about supplying tractors and machinery. It is about building a sustainable and modern agricultural sector that benefits every farmer, large or small,” he said.
He said many of the combine harvesters were instrumental in this year’s strong wheat performance across major irrigation schemes.
Service centres in Harare, Chiredzi, Bulawayo, Mutare and Kadoma ensure farmers have access to parts, maintenance and technical support.
Deputy Minister Haritatos said inclusivity remained a priority.
“Plans are underway to introduce 15-horsepower smallholder units designed specifically for communal and small-scale farmers.
“This initiative will ensure that mechanisation is not limited to commercial farms but becomes an inclusive tool for national development,” he said.
The programme is also embracing innovation, with IoT monitoring, fleet tracking and data-driven field optimisation being rolled out.
“These tools will enhance equipment efficiency, prevent misuse, improve planning and maximise productivity,” he added.
Belarusian representative and Bison Agro Machinery marketing director, Mr Andrei Kloeinov, said the collaboration stretches beyond equipment supply.
“We are proud to support Zimbabwe’s agricultural growth with reliable equipment and technical expertise.
“Our aim is to ensure farmers have not only the tools they need, but also the knowledge and services to use them effectively. This collaboration is about building a sustainable future for Zimbabwean agriculture,” he said.
Chinhoyi farmer Mr John Manyepa, who purchased a Belarus tractor earlier this year, said it has performed well under Zimbabwean conditions.
“I admired my friend’s Belarus tractor, which prompted me to get one. I have been using mine for the past three months,” he said.
For Kasi, the impact goes beyond machinery — it is confidence restored.
“Now I know I won’t be stranded when the rains come,” he said as he finalised paperwork for his unit. “Mechanisation is the difference between guessing and planning. For the first time, I feel in control of my season.”
As he left the service centre, the same fields that once brought him frustration now promised something else: certainty, growth and a future built on reliable tools, not hope alone.
