Online Reporter
Debra Matabvu
The Government has put in place various measures, including crop expert guidance and water management strategies, to support farmers across the country throughout the 2026/27 summer cropping season as part of efforts to mitigate the effects of El Niño.
The Zimbabwe Meteorological Services Department (MSD) and other weather forecasting agencies worldwide are forecasting a severe El Niño with a high likelihood of poor and erratic rains in the 2026/27 cropping season.
Writing on his micro- blogging site, X, Secretary for Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development, Professor Obert Jiri, said comprehensive measures had been put in place to support both irrigated and rain-fed farmers during the season.
“Government has put in place comprehensive measures to support farmers and safeguard national food security throughout the 2026/27 cropping season,” he said.
“Both irrigation and rain-fed farmers are being supported with expert agronomic guidance, climate – informed planning, water management strategies, timely extension services and practical measures to strengthen resilience against variable rainfall.”
According to the MSD, the occurrence of an El Niño could bring adverse weather conditions that have the potential to threaten food security in the country.
El Niño is a naturally recurring warming of surface waters across the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean.
It typically develops every two to seven years and can last roughly nine to 12 months.
However, this year’s El Nino not ordinary and has been dubbed “super El Niño,” and it has rattled various parts of the world with warnings that it could be the largest in years.
The Government says it is stepping up efforts to insulate the agriculture sector from the looming super El Niño, which forecasts indicate could potentially affect the country’s key economic sectors.
The Government is also targeting one million hectares under Pfumvudza/Intwasa this season as part of efforts to strengthen household food security under drier conditions.
In addition, the Government also intends to build strategic grain reserves of 450 000 tonnes through successive seasons, supported by the country’s new artificial intelligence (AI)-powered silos.
