NEW: ARDA CEO Mhiko wins continental food security prize

Online Reporter 

Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (ARDA) chief executive Mr Tinotenda Mhiko has thanked President Mnangagwa for his vision in the agricultural sector that saw him win the prestigious 2024 Africa Food Prize for Excellence in Agricultural Leadership at an event held in Rwanda last week.

Mr Mhiko said Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Development Minister Dr Anxious Masuka’s guidance also contributed to him excelling in his work.

The awarding of the prize is an endorsement of the Second Republic’s transformative efforts in ensuring food security.

The Africa Food Prize is a distinguished annual award that recognises outstanding individuals or institutions leading the effort to change the reality of farming in Africa.

It carries a US$100 000 prize, celebrating Africans taking control of Africa’s agriculture agenda.

By winning the award, the continent is recognising Mr Mhiko and his team’s dedication to bold initiatives and technical innovations that can be replicated across the continent to create a new era of food security and economic opportunity for all Africans.

Speaking after winning the prize, Mr Mhiko said President Mnangagwa’s vision of an upper middle-income had changed the agricultural sector.

“I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude and acknowledgment to the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, His Excellency, Dr ED Mnangagwa, whose vision for a prosperous and empowered upper middle-income society for the majority of the Zimbabwean populace, has been set through a trailblazing journey of unmatched leaps and bounds in the agricultural landscape, leaving no one and no place behind,” he said.

“I also want to express my sincere appreciation and credit to the Honourable Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Development for Zimbabwe, Dr Anxious Jongwe Masuka, who is also here in our midst.

“Honourable Minister, I dedicate this award to your invaluable visionary leadership and guidance in every step of the way. May your wisdom and tenacity continue to be the guiding beacon as we strive to robustly transform not only our local food systems, but of the African continent as a whole.”

Mr Mhiko thanked his team at ARDA for their “expertise, commitment and teamwork that have been instrumental in this our shared success. Indeed, you have been my partners in every sense of the word.”

ARDA underwent massive realigning and rebranding following the appointment of Mr Mhiko in 2021 as part of a wider reform process to transform rural livelihoods to the expectations of Vision 2030.

Since then, the authority has embarked on massive projects that are transforming farming in rural areas, reviving irrigation schemes and creating a conducive environment for marginalised farmers to acquire knowledge.

This has helped guarantee food security at the household level and the nation at large.

Mr Mhiko said agriculture was more than just a profession for him, but a calling through which he has been doing work in more than ten (10) African countries for the past fifteen years.

“At the Agricultural and Rural Development Authority of Zimbabwe, we have introduced and implemented various agricultural models, which have revolutionised our agricultural space, transforming agricultural production for the rural small-holder farmers, medium and large-scale commercial farmers across all the provinces,” he said.

“Our small-holder farmers are being transformed from peasant and subsistence producers to surplus and commercially oriented growers whose yields for cereals have reached as high as five (5) tonnes per hectare through implementation and adoption of our climate proofing and derisking models.

“It is my fervent hope in-as-much as I am very confident that similar models that we have applied in Zimbabwe with substantial rewards, can be replicated across our continent to guarantee food security and self-sufficiency for our ever-growing national populations, and by extension, that of the entire world.”

Mr Mhiko said farmers played a pivotal role in feeding communities and contributing to global food security. “Doubtlessly, this award serves as a stark reminder of the critical importance of our work and the impact we have on people’s lives every other day,” he said.

“As we celebrate this achievement, I’m reminded that our work is never truly done. We face new challenges and opportunities every season – from adapting to climate change to innovating sustainable farming practices.

“I hope this award inspires others, especially the youth, to join us in shaping the future of agriculture for the continued sustenance of human existence.

“I accept this award not just as recognition of my own efforts, but as a call to continue pushing boundaries, embracing innovation, and nurturing the land we have been entrusted with. Let’s keep growing together and make our beloved continent food secure and self-sufficient.”

The prize is given by AGRA, formerly known as the Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa, an African-led, African-based organisation that seeks to catalyse agriculture transformation in Africa.

It was established in 2006 and dedicated to placing smallholder farmers at the core of the continent’s burgeoning economy. AGRA’s mission is to transform agriculture from a mere struggle for survival into a thriving business.

In collaboration with its partners, AGRA catalyses and sustains an inclusive agricultural transformation aimed at increasing incomes and enhancing food security in 11 countries.