Nyasha Simbisai, Agriculture Correspondent
The Government has distributed more than 770 000 sweet potato vines this year as part of preparations for the anticipated El Niño-induced drought during the 2026/27 agricultural season.
The national programme is targeting 1,5 million vines to expand production of the drought-tolerant crop and strengthen household food security.
The distribution is being implemented under the Agricultural Development Advisory Services (ADAS) framework, which identifies accelerated climate-smart production as one of six strategic pillars guiding the country’s agricultural preparedness and drought response.
According to the latest ADAS report, a cumulative 4 969 258 sweet potato vines were distributed nationwide between 2022 and 2026.
This year, 772 200 vines have been distributed against an annual target of 1,5 million, representing 51 percent of the target. The programme is also prioritising the establishment of multiplication sites to increase the production and availability of planting material.
Mashonaland West received the highest allocation, with 150 000 vines, followed by Manicaland, Mashonaland Central and Mashonaland East, which each received 130 000 vines.
Masvingo received 82 200 vines, while Midlands, Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South each received 50 000 vines.
The programme also involves establishing and strengthening local multiplication sites where planting material can be propagated for subsequent distribution to farmers, improving access to the drought-tolerant crop.
Sweet potatoes form part of the country’s crop diversification strategy, which seeks to broaden household food production beyond traditional cereal crops, particularly in areas vulnerable to erratic rainfall.
The distribution initiative comes as the Government intensifies preparations for the 2026/27 summer cropping season amid forecasts of possible El Niño-related rainfall disruptions.
Under the ADAS framework, interventions include drought-resilient crop production, agro-ecological tailoring of crops, soil health management, moisture conservation and irrigation development.
These measures are being complemented by agricultural advisory services and early warning systems to help farmers make informed production decisions and respond to changing weather conditions.
Meanwhile, the Government is targeting one million hectares under the Pfumvudza/Intwasa programme during the 2026/27 agricultural season, up from 713 000 hectares recorded in 2025.
The latest ADAS report shows that 857 259 hectares have already been prepared under the programme, while 475 446 farmers have collected mulch ahead of the summer cropping season.
Agricultural extension officers are expected to provide technical guidance on crop selection, sweet potato vine establishment, multiplication garden management and recommended production practices.
They will also support farmers in implementing conservation agriculture principles, including minimum soil disturbance, mulching, crop rotation and moisture conservation, to improve resilience under variable rainfall conditions.
The sweet potato vine distribution programme forms part of the Government’s broader agricultural diversification and drought preparedness efforts, which also cover strategic grain reserves, climate-smart production, financing, imports, livestock drought mitigation, coordination and early warning support.
As preparations for the 2026/27 season continue, the distribution and multiplication of sweet potato planting material remain important interventions to expand alternative crop production and strengthen household food supplies ahead of the anticipated El Niño conditions.
