Online Reporter
Theseus Shambare and Belinda Chikandiwa
ZIMBABWE is now targeting a US$13,75 billion agricultural sector under the newly launched Zimbabwe Programme for Agricultural Transformation (ZIMPRAT), a strategic plan designed to make agriculture more productive, competitive and sustainable.
Unveiling the programme for validation yesterday, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Professor Obert Jiri described ZIMPRAT as a “critical engine” for achieving national development goals in line with Vision 2030 and the National Development Strategies 1 and 2.
“The latest programme is a decisive step in transforming Zimbabwe’s agricultural sector into a prosperous, diverse, sustainable and competitive industry,” he said.
“By fostering investment, innovation and technology in agriculture, we aim to boost productivity, ensure food security and drive economic growth.”
ZIMPRAT will accelerate the expansion of seven strategic value chains — maize, dairy, soybean, sunflower, blueberry, beef and pork — with a focus on higher production, productivity and resilience.
Prof Jiri underlined the importance of structuring investment opportunities to attract both local and international investors.
“The main thrust is to accelerate the development of key value chains and improve resilience among farming communities.
“Our target is to grow this sector into a US$13,75 billion industry, and to achieve this, we need structured investment models that clearly package opportunities in an attractive way.”
Built on extensive data collection, ZIMPRAT integrates national and provincial investment plans into a single, evidence-based roadmap for agricultural growth.
“We prioritised seven value chains and collected detailed data to inform decision-making. This approach ensures that policies and strategies are grounded in evidence,” Prof Jiri said.
However, experts warn that transformation will also depend on addressing cross-cutting risks such as antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in agriculture, which, if left unmanaged, could undermine productivity, food safety and export competitiveness.
Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) data and analytics specialist, Mr Wisdom Mgomezulu, said agricultural transformation must be anchored in government priorities and backed by evidence-based investment planning.
“We have to align with the government’s policy agenda. Even the best-designed programme is useless if the government is not willing to adopt and implement it,” he said.
While data models can identify the most profitable value chains, Mr Mgomezulu cautioned that they must match political will and local realities.
“Our models can prioritise the most profitable value chains, but if those chains don’t match the government’s focus, they simply won’t take off,” he said.
