Theseus Mauruki Shambare
Coordinated interventions linking agricultural research, extension services, quality assurance and market access are essential to keep farmers productive and food and nutrition secure even under El Niño conditions.
Stronger partnerships between agricultural researchers, Government, development agencies and standards institutions will strengthen preparedness for the anticipated El Niño-induced drought as the country steps up efforts to protect food production and build climate-resilient farming systems.
This emerged during the eighth episode of the World Food Programme (WFP)’s Bites of Change podcast, which examined how science, standards and collaboration can transform Zimbabwe’s food systems.
WFP Zimbabwe country director Ms Barbara Clemens said food security requires an integrated approach that brings together the expertise of different institutions rather than allowing organisations to operate independently.
Speaking during the podcast, which examined how science, standards and collaboration could transform Zimbabwe’s food systems, Ms Clemens said partnerships were critical in addressing the multiple dimensions of food insecurity.
“A food-secure Zimbabwe starts with and ends with a reinforcing ecosystem,” she said.
Her remarks come as Zimbabwe prepares for the 2026/27 agricultural season amid concerns over the potential effects of El Niño, which could bring below-normal rainfall and above-normal temperatures, increasing pressure on rain-fed agriculture, particularly among smallholder farmers.
Ms Clemens said food security went beyond producing sufficient quantities of food, encompassing people’s ability to afford and access food, utilise it for good nutrition and maintain that access over time.
She said WFP was increasingly prioritising partnerships under its country strategic plan, drawing on the comparative advantages of institutions already operating in the country.
“We want to lean heavily on the comparative advantages of our partners on the ground. We don’t want to replicate what they do, but we want them to come to the forefront to build on their comparative advantage,” she said.
Ms Clemens warned against fragmented interventions, urging development institutions to concentrate on collective results rather than pursuing isolated organisational interests.
“We need to focus on not building kingdoms,” she said.
International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT) principal scientist Mr Christian Thierfelder said agricultural research needed to be translated into practical interventions that addressed the realities confronting farmers, particularly under changing climatic conditions.
“Research does not help anybody if it is done on a station where nobody can access it. Research has to be done in farmers’ fields, with farmers,” he said.
Through farmer-led trials, drought-tolerant crop varieties and conservation agriculture practices, researchers are promoting technologies that can help farmers adapt to climate variability and improve production under challenging conditions.
Mr Thierfelder, however, said research alone could not deliver meaningful improvements without adequate extension services, financing, markets, private sector participation and Government support.
He said agricultural innovations needed to be supported by an enabling environment that allowed farmers to adopt technologies and translate improved production into sustainable livelihoods.
Standards Association of Zimbabwe (SAZ) director general Cosmas Mukoyi said quality assurance was another critical component of building resilient food systems, particularly as farmers and agricultural businesses sought to access wider markets.
He said producers needed to understand market requirements before committing resources to production to avoid producing commodities that failed to meet buyers’ expectations.
“Before you start production, you must ensure that the market is there. You are saying, what kind of quality requirements or standards does this market require?” he said.
Mr Mukoyi said compliance with standards and certification requirements could improve consumer confidence, strengthen competitiveness and create opportunities for local producers in domestic and international markets, including under the African Continental Free Trade Area.
The discussions highlighted the importance of aligning agricultural research, climate adaptation, production, quality standards and market development with the Government’s National Development Strategy 2, which prioritises agricultural transformation, food and nutrition security, climate resilience and sustainable livelihoods.
As Zimbabwe braces for another potentially challenging rainfall season, stronger institutional coordination will be essential to ensuring that climate-resilient technologies reach farmers and that increased agricultural production translates into sustained household food security.
