Online Reporter
Theseus Mauruki Shambare
Zimbabwe is on course to build a US$15.8 billion agriculture industry by 2030 through increased productivity, value addition, modern technologies and stronger partnerships between Government, development partners and the private sector, Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development Permanent Secretary Professor Obert Jiri has said.
Prof Jiri made the remarks during one of the episodes of the World Food Programme (WFP) Bites of Change podcast, a platform launched recently to promote dialogue on food and nutrition security, agricultural transformation and resilient food systems.
Introducing the new series, WFP Zimbabwe Head of External Relations Ms Ifeoma Madueke-Garba said Bites of Change would bring together leaders from Government, the private sector and development partners to discuss practical solutions to the country’s food security challenges.
“This is a podcast series, a platform for having conversations around food and nutrition security in Zimbabwe,” she said.
“It will be one that will bring together great minds from the public sector, the private sector and also from our cooperating partners in the NGO world.”
She said the podcast would highlight collective achievements in improving food and nutrition security while showcasing Zimbabwe’s diverse food systems and sharing stories of communities whose lives have been transformed through collaborative interventions.
Speaking during the discussion hosted by WFP Zimbabwe Country Director Ms Barbara Clemens, Prof Jiri said the country’s focus had shifted beyond achieving food security to creating sustainable economic prosperity through agriculture.
He said the transformation would be driven by empowering rural communities to become centres of production, employment and business development.
“Food security begins at the household level, but it must ultimately translate into economic prosperity,” said Prof Jiri.
“If we can uplift each village, then we uplift Zimbabwe.”
He said Government was implementing the Village Business Unit model to transform communities from subsistence producers into entrepreneurs capable of creating jobs and generating income.
Unlike conventional nutrition gardens, Village Business Units are solar-powered, irrigated production hubs designed to strengthen food security while promoting value addition and climate resilience.
“These are centres of production, centres of employment and centres of value addition,” he said.
“Agriculture must be treated as a business at every level.”
Prof Jiri said the initiative was now being expanded to schools and youth groups to equip young people with agricultural and entrepreneurial skills while strengthening local food systems.
He said increased agricultural production alone would not guarantee economic transformation unless farmers had access to reliable markets, modern machinery and digital technologies.
“We must modernise agriculture,” said Prof Jiri.
“We need appropriate machinery, digital technologies, artificial intelligence and stronger market linkages that help farmers connect to buyers.”
He said the sight of farmers selling produce along roadsides reflected weaknesses in agricultural marketing systems, adding that stronger value chains and investment were required to ensure producers realised better returns.
Prof Jiri said Zimbabwe had already demonstrated its competitiveness in high-value export crops such as blueberries and should leverage similar opportunities across other agricultural value chains.
He said the country’s long-term ambition was to become a regional leader in agro-processing by exporting more finished products rather than raw agricultural commodities.
Prof Jiri also called for greater alignment between Government, development partners and the private sector, saying coordinated interventions would maximise impact and accelerate agricultural transformation.
“The solution is alignment,” he said.
“We need to sit around the same table, agree on what we want to achieve and work together toward that goal.”
Ms Clemens said WFP’s forthcoming Country Strategic Plan for 2027-2031 would place greater emphasis on strengthening resilient food systems and supporting Government efforts to improve agricultural productivity and market access.
“We are not just talking about food assistance,” she said.
“We are talking about creating resilient ecosystems around communities, supporting farmers, improving market access and helping households move from vulnerability to self-reliance.”
She said food security should be viewed not only as a humanitarian issue but also as an economic imperative that underpins markets, businesses and national development.
