Mathew Masinge
Nyasha Simbisai
Agriculture Correspondent
Zimbabwe is accelerating its drive to become an agro-industrial hub by 2030, with Government pushing farmers and industry towards aggregation, value addition and beneficiation to increase exports of finished agricultural products into regional markets.
Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development Minister Dr Anxious Jongwe Masuka said this on Tuesday while touring exhibition stands at the 2026 Zimbabwe Agricultural Show (ZAS), which has attracted 640 exhibitors, an increase from last year.
Dr Masuka said Zimbabwe needed to move beyond exporting predominantly raw agricultural commodities and strengthen value chains that enable locally produced commodities to be processed into higher-value products.
“Certainly, we have said we wanted a value chain approach and we wanted Zimbabwe to become an agro-industrial hub by 2030, so we can begin to do aggregation, value addition, beneficiation, so that we can export to COMESA ready-made products rather than just raw agricultural materials,” he said.
The strategy places agriculture at the centre of Zimbabwe’s industrialisation agenda by linking increased primary production to processing, manufacturing and regional trade.
Value addition is expected to enable farmers and businesses to derive greater returns from agricultural commodities while creating employment opportunities, strengthening rural industries and increasing export earnings.
Dr Masuka said the Zimbabwe Agricultural Show provides an important platform for demonstrating the country’s agricultural capabilities and connecting farmers with technologies and businesses across the value chain.
“It is a unique opportunity for Zimbabwe to be able to display its prowess in agriculture,” he said.
This year’s show has registered increased participation, with 640 exhibitors showcasing agricultural products, technologies, machinery and services.
Dr Masuka said the increase was an indication of growing economic activity and reflected the dynamism being experienced in the agriculture sector.
“There is simply a wondrous variety of exhibits, enthusiasm by the exhibitors, an increase from last year to 640 exhibitors, which is demonstrative of increasing macroeconomic activity, but more particularly the growth in the agriculture sector is often reflected in the dynamism of this premier agricultural show,” he said.
“I am very pleased with what we have seen.”
The show brings together farmers, agricultural equipment manufacturers, seed houses, livestock breeders, agro-processors, researchers, financial institutions and other players whose activities are critical to developing integrated agricultural value chains.
The Government has been promoting increased agricultural production alongside mechanisation, irrigation development and value addition as it seeks to transform farming from predominantly primary production into a commercially oriented sector supporting wider industrial development.
Dr Masuka said farmers should therefore use the show not merely to view exhibits, but as a platform for exchanging knowledge and identifying technologies that can be adopted on their farms.
This has assumed greater importance as Zimbabwe prepares for the predicted 2026-2027 El Niño.
“I hope that farmers will find this platform as an exchange platform to get new ideas, new technologies, as we have seen, to ensure that we are well prepared for the predicted El Niño in 2026-2027,” Dr Masuka said.
The anticipated El Niño has increased the importance of technologies and production systems that strengthen farmers’ ability to withstand climate-related shocks while maintaining production.
Climate-smart agriculture, irrigation, water management, appropriate crop varieties and improved agricultural technologies are expected to feature prominently as farmers prepare for the forthcoming season.
The agricultural show consequently provides an opportunity for producers to interact directly with technology developers, researchers and service providers and identify practical solutions suitable for their farming enterprises.
The drive towards agro-industrialisation also seeks to position Zimbabwe to take greater advantage of regional markets such as the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).
Rather than exporting raw agricultural materials and allowing much of the value to be created elsewhere, increased domestic processing could enable the country to export more finished products while retaining greater economic value locally.
With 640 exhibitors participating this year, the show is expected to provide a critical meeting point between agricultural production, technology, processing and markets as Zimbabwe pursues its ambition of establishing a competitive agro-industrial economy by 2030.
