Online Reporter
Peter Matika, [email protected]
ZIMBABWE has recorded a significant jump in the hectarage dedicated to staple cereals during the 2024/2025 farming season, which positions the country for improved yields.
Preliminary assessments reveal that this year’s harvest could be one of the most productive. In his post-Cabinet media briefing yesterday, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Dr Jenfan Muswere, said Cabinet was notified of the increase in the cereal area planted, which rose from a targeted 2 520 000 hectares to an impressive 2 540 385 hectares.
This marks an 8.1 percent increase from the 2 349 921 hectares planted in the previous season.
In addition to cereals, Dr Muswere said the horticulture sector also saw growth, particularly in the area dedicated to perennials.
With blueberry, orange, and coffee plantations thriving, the total area planted under horticulture grew slightly from 11 952 hectares in the 2023/2024 season to 11 957 hectares in the current cycle.
“The increases were achieved despite the negative effects of the El Nino-induced drought and the corollary false start to the 2024/2025 season,” said Muswere.
On livestock, he said the national cattle herd has grown by 0,4 percent, rising from 5 718 523 in 2023 to 5 741 397 in 2024. Even more striking, Dr Muswere said the country recorded an increase in the national dairy herd, which surged by 8,7 percent from 60 98 to 65 659.
He said the boost in dairy production translates to a remarkable 15 percent increase in raw milk output, totalling 11 699 440 litres compared to 9 823 775 litres in 2023.
Dr Muswere also highlighted the success of the Presidential Rural Poultry Scheme, which gained momentum in 2024.
The initiative saw the distribution of 751 408 four-week-old indigenous chicks to beneficiaries, a significant jump from the 200 161 chicks provided in 2023.
Dr Muswere said the Government will create a new institutional arrangement to optimise planning and coordination of cloud seeding activities for enhanced rainfall patterns in Zimbabwe, while also climate-proofing agriculture at household and national levels will be accelerated through the Pfumvudza/ Intwasa initiative.
“Government will accelerate irrigation development to increase functional irrigation from the current 217 000 hectares to the targeted 496 000 hectares, among others, through increased private sector participation,” he said.
“Community participation in the Strategic Grain Reserve will be enhanced at a community level.”
The Government has also pledged to accelerate the establishment of Ward Drought Mitigation Centres to create resilience of communities against future shocks. Plans are also in place to strengthen the local production of key farming inputs such as fertilisers.
“The Presidential Tick Grease Scheme will henceforth be appropriately renamed to Household Tick Management Scheme. Government will accelerate the establishment of the five fingerling production centres at Henderson, Chipinge, Makoholi, Matopo and Lupane,” said Dr Muswere.
He noted that the Rural Development 8.0 intervention will be accelerated to empower communities.
Meanwhile, Dr Muswere said after winning the bid to host the COP15, Zimbabwe has already made significant milestones towards hosting the 15th edition of the Conference of Parties (COP15) from 23 to 31 July 2025 in Victoria Falls.
The Conference will run under the theme: “Protecting Wetlands for our Common Future”. Preparations for the Conference are at an advanced stage and suitable conference facilities have been identified while the COP15 website is now operational and registration of foreign delegates is already underway.
“The registration of locals will commence in early March 2025. The conference is expected to showcase Zimbabwe’s tourist destinations, including the Victoria Falls, Zambezi National Park and the Kasibo Wetland,” said Dr Muswere.
He also briefed the media about the Virtual Southern African Development Community (SADC) extraordinary meeting of health ministers, which was held from 20 to 21 February 2025, and addressed critical health challenges facing the SADC region.
“Key highlights of the proceedings and outcomes included the ongoing health emergencies in the SADC region, such as Mpox Outbreak and Marburg Virus Disease. Member States were urged to share information on disease outbreaks timeously to effectively address cross-border transmission,” said Dr Muswere.
Health ministers also endorsed the implementation of the SADC TB Strategic Plan, as well as to expansion of the E8 Malaria Elimination Initiative to all 16 SADC Member States under the auspices of SADC.
“In addition, member states were urged to mobilise alternative funding through public-private partnerships and domestic resource mobilisation for critical health programmes, including HIV, TB and malaria prevention, treatment and control.
