Online Reporter
Judith Phiri [email protected]
THE Government has unveiled climate-smart interventions for the 2026/27 summer cropping season, with the summer cropping plan already approved as part of measures to cushion farmers against the predicted El Niño phenomenon.
Dubbed a powerful “Super” El Niño, global weather models indicate a 90 percent probability that the weather event will develop during the 2026/27 summer growing season.
In response, Government has developed a comprehensive summer cropping plan aimed at mitigating the anticipated impact of below-normal rainfall.
Speaking at Ceres Farm in Shamva District on Friday, the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development Permanent Secretary, Professor Obert Jiri, said current forecasts point to a drier season than that experienced in 2025/26, pending confirmation by the Meteorological Services Department (MSD).
“The summer plan as approved by Cabinet will be implemented. We know, of course, that there has been a focus on a drier-than-normal rainfall season coming, of course, pending confirmation by the Meteorological Services Department (MSD),” he said.
“We are planning on five fronts and of course the sixth front is the coordination and early warning that we are doing. So first is to ensure that we focus on the strategic grain reserve (SGR) build-up. We are encouraging our farmers to ensure that at the household level they keep their food.”
Prof Jiri said Government was encouraging farmers to deliver grain to the Grain Marketing Board (GMB), which was offering competitive prices, while millers and other stakeholders should also maintain adequate grain stocks.
He said climate-smart agriculture would be central to the 2026/27 summer cropping programme, with emphasis on tailoring production to agro-ecological regions.
“The crop that is grown by the farmer must be dictated by the agro-ecological region. Secondly, Pfumvudza/Intwasa is key and becomes of paramount importance, so we must ensure that we do soil conservation.
“Third in this category is to ensure that we grow our traditional grains. Variety suitability is critical and we know that Regions 4 and 5 are those more suitable for our traditional grains,” he added.
“We emphasise that farmers must grow traditional grains in those regions. We also want our farmers to use the correct seed variety, which is climate-smart. The shorter and harder the season means we must grow those varieties that are early to medium and that is what we are encouraging.”
Prof Jiri said enhancing access to agricultural financing was another key pillar of the preparedness strategy, urging farmers to organise themselves into funding groups.
He said farmers could access financing through the Food Crop Contractors Association (FCCA), banks under the Command Agriculture framework through the National Enhanced Agriculture Productivity Scheme (NEAPS), and other financiers.
“Farmers can also approach other financiers who can finance their summer crops and that is very critical as we go forward. So, farmers must start to arrange their funding options right at the moment. Fourth, in terms of our interventions, is to ensure that farmers are also protecting their livestock,” he said.
Prof Jiri said livestock production would also require close attention, as dry conditions could affect feed availability and animal health before the onset of the next rainy season.
He said interventions such as disease control, dipping, vaccination, supplementary feeding and improved nutrition would be prioritised.
The Permanent Secretary said Government would also expedite grain imports following the implementation of Statutory Instrument (SI) 87, while maintaining local production as the priority.
“We will announce more, but it is important to note that we want to emphasise local production first and the importations later. So, as we have these programmes, we want the millers, stock feed manufacturers and other players to join hands with the Government and utilise various species of irrigable land that is there. So, SI 87 essentially opens opportunities for irrigation development which is crucial as we go into the drier season,” he said.
“It is irrigation that will allow us to delink our production from the weather. So, that is the fifth intervention that we are looking at, and the sixth is coordination and early warning, which we must all do in all provinces, districts and wards.”
Meanwhile, the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Meteorological Focus Meetings, scheduled for August 2026, are expected to provide a more precise regional seasonal outlook.
Zimbabwe has previously experienced El Niño conditions with comparatively limited impacts. During the strong 1996/97 El Niño, as well as the 2015/16 event and the severe regional drought of 2024, described as the worst in 43 years, the country fared better than many of its regional counterparts.
Bongani Moyo