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Precious Manomano Herald Reporter
Zimbabwe is now food secure, and the income of Zimbabwean farmers is still growing rapidly, after achieving bumper harvests of all crops this season and the Second Republic remains determined to transform agricultural systems for the sector to contribute positively towards Vision 2030 of an upper middle income society.
The Second Republic has put in place measures to not just ensure food sufficiency through agricultural transformation programmes, but also to ensure that all farmers, from the holder of a few hectares all the way to the biggest farmers, benefit from those programmes, so pushing up rural incomes and driving rural development.
After attaining food self-sufficiency, Zimbabwe is now pushing to have a bigger share on the export market.
The country has potential to be a net exporter of food following the success of various policies that the Government has implemented to revive the agricultural sector.
All successes which were being seen in the sector were as a result of the Agriculture Recovery and Growth Plan introduced in 2020 with the aim to reverse the negative trends in the sector.
As a result of the measures taken to boost agricultural production, a bumper harvest of maize, wheat and traditional grains was realised, with rapidly rising harvests of oil seed.
This season Zimbabwe has so far produced 2,3 million tonnes of maize and 300 000 tonnes of traditional grains, which already guarantees national food and nutrition security, but with more grain still to be havested, dried and shelled.
The country has so far witnessed a huge increase of 58 percent growth in maize production compared with 1,7 million tonnes of maize produced in last season.
This means families have enough food for sustenance and some left over for sale. In addition, there is carryover stock of 300 000 tonnes of maize from the previous season. This harvest will not only restore strategic reserves but also open the doors for some exports.
As a result of the measures taken to boost agricultural production, a bumper harvest of maize, wheat and traditional grains was realised.
In 2020 to 2021 the country produced 2,7 million tonnes of maize and produced 1,7 million tonnes last season. This season the country produced 2,3million tonnes of maize.
Recently,Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development permanent secretary Dr John Basera indicated that the country is food secure and food self-sufficient.
””We started to operationalise the Agriculture Recovery Growth Plan and we managed to score 2,7 million tonnes of maize during the 2020-2021 cropping season. We recorded 375 000 tonnes of wheat (last season) and for the first time since 1966, we are flour self-sufficient and that’s incredible. The Government has initiated public-private sector engagements to ensure its projections of maize harvests are realised from the present season,”he said.
He added that climate change is affecting our country so there is a need to adapt to the effects of climate change and vulnerabilities adding that Pfumvudza is the way to go.
””When we started to implement Pfumvudza our productivity levels started to increase from 0,5 tonnes per hectare to 1,4 tonnes per hectare,”he said.
In the advent of new dispensation in 2017, the country managed to set the foundation for economic recovery of different sectors, including agriculture.
Some of the successes such as the Pfumvudza and Command agriculture models left other African countries inquiring on how they could implement them.
Recently, President Mnangagwa went to Dakar, Senegal, to present the successes of Zimbabwe and it was agreed and ratified that Pfumvudza will be adopted across Africa following its big success in Zimbabwe.
Dr Basera said on Command Agriculture, about three countries were in Zimbabwe to learn about the model which crowds in the participation of banks, financial services institutions.
Under wheat farming, farmers have also managed to achieve 86 000 hectares which is the first time in the history of Zimbabwe and they are expecting 420 000 tonnes against annual requirement of 360 000 tonnes.
Dr Basera applauded farmers for working hard last year to achieve a milestone in wheat production, after attaining a record-breaking 375 000 tonnes of wheat and 1,7million tonnes of maize last season.
Zimbabwe requires 360 000 tonnes of wheat per annum, and the huge harvest, which is the biggest since 1966, means there will be no shortages of bread and other confectionery.
Soyabean growing rose from 52 000ha to 56 000ha, a move that will also ensure Zimbabwe has reasonable quantities of raw materials for the production of cooking oil, thereby reducing the import bill. But sunflower production is now surging, led by investment into the smallholder sector, and this oil seed is assuming ever greater importance and taking a larger share of the natiuonal oil seed requirements.
Tobacco production surged by 19 percent from 110 000 hectares to about 181 000ha this year.
The country’s tobacco output is ongoing and 2023 marketing season currently stands at over 287million kg of tobacco compared to 193million kg sold in the same period last year, surpassing all previous records.
Last season the country produced 212 million kg of tobacco far below what is anticipated during this season.
Huge deliveries are still expected at the tobacco floors with yield potential projected to at least 300 million kg by the end of the marketing season.
Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers’ Union (ZCFU) president, Dr Shadreck Makombe, said there were chances of getting a bumper harvest because of good rains received so far, and the preparedness of farmers.
“The season is good following good rains that are received. We were sure of a bumper harvest this season,” he said.
Tobacco Farmers Union Trust vice president Mr Edward Dune said the future of maize production was great following the participation of private buyers.
“The future is bright if farmers continue to be paid in foreign currency,” he said. “We were optimistic that this year we can achieve the target if private players also come to partner the Government in farming.
Mrs Maggy Murambiwa of Marondera thanked the Government for timeous distribution of Pfumvudza inputs adding that this has largely benefited vulnerable groups who struggled to make ends meet.
“We are grateful for this noble initiative which will go a long way in sustaining families. Government has rescued many households. We are grateful for this support. Getting inputs on time meant a good harvest ,” she said.
Mr Chamunorwa of Banket said Government’s commitment towards helping farmers needs to be appreciated as it symbolises great hope.
He said the massive roll out of the Pfumvudza/Intwasa programme has increased the country’s food self-sufficiency levels and food security.
“This is a commendable effort made by the Government. We were given inputs on time, that’s why this time we achieved a bumper harvest,” he said.
In the next summer cropping season, the Government is targeting a cereal production of 3,7 million tonnes to ensure national food and nutrition security.
The target areas for the major crops have only been increased by 10 percent since the major thrust of the ministry is to increase production per unit area, rather than drastically expand the cultivated area.
The agriculture sector has already hit the initial 2025 target of becoming an US$8,2 billion industry. This target was achieved in 2021, as the industry grew by 36,2 percent.
Online Reporter