Online Reporter
Patrick Chitumba, [email protected]
THE Midlands Province is positioning itself as Zimbabwe’s flagship province for climate-smart agriculture and nutrition-sensitive food systems, with authorities crafting an ambitious transformation agenda anchored on irrigation expansion, traditional grains production and rural industrialisation.
As the country moves towards implementing the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS 2) and the Agriculture Food Systems and Rural Transformation Strategy II (AFSRTS II) 2026–2030, provincial authorities say the Midlands is no longer viewing agriculture as a subsistence activity, but as a modern economic engine capable of driving food security, employment creation and climate resilience
Midlands provincial director for Agricultural and Rural Development Advisory Services, Ms Busiso Olga Mavankeni, said the province’s vast land resources, strategic dams and agro-ecological diversity place it in a unique position to spearhead the country’s agricultural transformation.
She said they are positioning Midlands to become a leading force in delivering national food self-sufficiency, improved nutrition outcomes and climate resilience.
“As Zimbabwe enters the implementation phase of the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS 2) and the Agriculture Food Systems and Rural Transformation Strategy II (AFSRTS II) 2026–2030, Midlands Province is strategically positioned to become a leading force in delivering national food self-sufficiency, improved nutrition outcomes and climate resilience,” she said.
At the centre of the province’s strategy is climate adaptation, with the Agricultural and Rural Development Advisory Services accelerating the adoption of drought-tolerant crops such as sorghum, millet and legumes in response to increasingly erratic rainfall patterns and prolonged dry spells.
Ms Mavankeni said climate-smart agriculture was now being treated as both an environmental and economic imperative.
“This is more than a policy framework, it is a call to action. Agriculture must shift from subsistence production to a modern, resilient and market-driven economic pillar,” she said.
Ms Mavankeni said, with erratic rainfall and prolonged dry spells now a recurring reality, the Midlands is accelerating the adoption of climate-smart agriculture.
“The focus will be on drought-tolerant crops such as sorghum, millet and legumes, alongside conservation agriculture, water harvesting and solar-powered irrigation,” she said.
Ms Mavankeni said the province is promoting conservation agriculture, water harvesting technologies and solar-powered irrigation systems while also encouraging seed companies to establish local operations to guarantee reliable access to traditional grain seed varieties.
In a major policy shift, Midlands is also banking on the “dam economy” concept to unlock year-round agricultural production and rural industrialisation.
Ms Mavankeni said plans are underway to transform strategic water bodies into hubs for irrigated crop farming, horticulture, aquaculture and agro-processing industries, while creating employment opportunities for surrounding communities.
“Strategic water bodies will be developed to support year-round irrigated crop production, horticulture clusters, fisheries, aquaculture, and agro-processing, alongside rural employment creation,” she said.
Ms Mavankeni said the province has already prioritised the rehabilitation and expansion of irrigation schemes across all districts, with a strong focus on smallholder irrigation clusters and efficient water use systems.
Beyond crop production, Midlands is targeting nutrition security through district-based nutrition production zones that will support horticulture, poultry, dairy and legume production.
School feeding programmes are also set to be integrated into local production systems under the business unit model, creating stable markets for farmers while improving household nutrition.
The province is building value chains around traditional and climate-resilient crops such as sorghum, pearl millet, finger millet, cowpeas, groundnuts and Bambara nuts.
“This includes seed production, aggregation systems, processing facilities, contract farming arrangements and market linkages,” said Ms Mavankeni.
“Traditional grains are central to both climate resilience and nutrition.”
Bio-fortified crops are also expected to play a significant role in combating malnutrition and improving dietary diversity at household level.
With financing constraints remaining a challenge, Midlands is intensifying collaboration with private investors, development partners, research institutions and farmer organisations to drive implementation.
The strategy places special emphasis on youth and women-led agribusiness ventures, particularly in irrigation farming, nutrition gardens and agro-processing enterprises.
Ms Mavankeni said strengthening research-extension-farmer linkages would also be critical in ensuring farmers receive practical and climate-responsive solutions.
Under AFSRTS II, Midlands will prioritise agricultural productivity growth, food systems transformation, climate resilience, rural industrialisation and inclusive value chain development.
Provincial authorities believe success in Midlands could provide a national blueprint for building resilient food systems in the face of climate change.
“The challenges facing agriculture are real, but they are not barriers,” said Ms Mavankeni.
“They are signals for innovation. Through climate-smart agriculture, irrigation expansion, dam economy development and strategic partnerships, Midlands can become a cornerstone of Zimbabwe’s food and nutrition security agenda.”
