Online Reporter
Rutendo Nyeve, [email protected]
“I WAS born in 1964 on a farm in Chiendambuya. My life actually has been a farm life.”
For Ivan Craig, those words are more than a recollection, but a lifelong creed. Decades later, as chairperson of the Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (Arda) and the Zimbabwe Agricultural Society (ZAS), his identity remains firmly rooted in the soil that shaped him.
He is also a board member of Marondera University Council, Rio Tinto Agricultural College Council and the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service.
Behind the titles, boardrooms and policy influence lies a man who still sees himself simply as a farm boy driven by a mission to transform the lives of Zimbabwean farmers.
Zimpapers caught up with Craig on the sidelines of the African Dairy Federation conference in Victoria Falls.
Over an hour, he spoke not of status, but of purpose, a vision anchored in resilience, innovation and the pursuit of dignity for every farmer.
Born in rural Chiendambuya, Craig’s passion for agriculture was nurtured early under the guidance of seasoned agriculturalist Richard Wingfield. With both his upbringing and heritage tied to the land, his career path was never in doubt.
“The combination of farm life and rural living created a strong bond. It made me think of agriculture and I never looked back,” he said.
After completing his studies at Mlezu Agricultural College in the 1980s, Craig went on to earn a master’s degree in agriculture and extension services and is currently pursuing a PhD. Yet, for him, academic accolades have always been secondary to impact.
“Not that I want it, but it’s just while I have time. You have to have something to keep yourself busy,” he said.
His early career traversed the breadth of the country’s agricultural landscape — from managing mixed farming operations in Marondera to working in agribusiness, safari ventures in Chiredzi and even teaching. Each experience, he says, was merely preparation for a deeper calling.
That calling found expression in agricultural extension work — the bridge between science and the farmer.
From Kagyu Hybrid Seed to Pana Seeds and later Seed Co, Craig gradually built a reputation not just as a technical expert, but as a farmer’s ally. Today, as director of sales, marketing and extension services at AgriSeeds, he continues to champion practical, field-based solutions.
“This job is called sales and marketing, but it’s really about extension — helping farmers improve productivity and yields,” he said.
Among farmers, he is affectionately known as Mudhumeni Mukuru — the senior extension officer — a title earned not in offices, but in fields, side by side with growers.
Over the years, Craig has witnessed the harsh realities of climate change — prolonged droughts, failed crops and shrinking yields.
“It pains,” he admits. But where others see crisis, Craig sees the need for adaptation.
He has been at the forefront of promoting climate-smart agriculture, including in-field water harvesting techniques such as tie ridging and in-row trenching, as well as the scaling up of Pfumvudza/Intwasa. These methods have helped farmers cut costs while improving resilience and productivity.
“The dry spells we are experiencing now are different from before. Before, the mid-January drought was not as bad. So we had to improve what already existed,” said Craig.
Equally significant has been his role in influencing crop breeding.
“Breeders used to develop varieties without fully understanding farmer needs. I said, ‘let’s align with what farmers want,’” Craig explained.
The result has been the development of more resilient crop varieties capable of withstanding increasingly erratic weather patterns.
Yet Craig’s vision stretches beyond the fields.
Deeply concerned about rising urban migration and youth vulnerability to drug abuse, he has taken a grassroots approach — organising community soccer tournaments in Chiendambuya and encouraging young people to invest in small-scale farming.
“You don’t need a big farm. Go back to kumusha. Start something. Generate income. I just want to see people who are happy and rich, well, not very rich, but living a comfortable life,” said Craig.
At the heart of his philosophy is a simple but powerful belief that agriculture is not just about food production but building livelihoods, restoring dignity and creating happiness.
“I like it when people say, ‘You inspired me.’ A happy person is a happy nation. That’s what I aim for. Only peace and happiness,” said Craig.
From the dusty fields of Chiendambuya to the helm of Zimbabwe’s agricultural institutions, Craig’s journey is a testimony of purpose-driven leadership.
