Online Reporter
Lonster Mutata-Herald Correspondent
Zimbabwe has emerged as a continental benchmark in climate-resilient agricultural transformation after the sector nearly doubled in value over five years, despite severe weather shocks and fiscal constraints, Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Minister Dr Anxious Masuka has said.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Global Council of Sustainable Development Goals in Dubai, following his recognition as the World Governments Summit 2025 Best Minister Award winner, Dr Masuka said the country’s agricultural turnaround was a result of “deliberate, coherent and climate-smart policy execution.”
“The first thing I must do is to thank His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe, Dr ED Mnangagwa, for affording me the opportunity to serve in this portfolio since August 2020,” said Dr Masuka.
“This recognition belongs to the 3,9 million Zimbabwean farmers whose daily work is transforming our agriculture.”
Dr Masuka said over the past year, Government has executed a dual climate-proofing strategy, targeting both household and national production systems.
“At household level, we expanded Pfumvudza/Intwasa to embed agro-ecological crop tailoring, intensified traditional grains production and protected family food systems under erratic rainfall conditions,” he explained.
During the 2024/2025 season, Pfumvudza expanded to over one million hectares, representing a 48 percent increase from the previous season, while traditional grains reached a record 717 481 hectares, producing 634 650 tonnes, with the current season recording a further 40 percent increase.
“At national level, climate-proofing was anchored on accelerated irrigation development and dam construction under the dam-is-an-economy model crafted by our visionary President,” said Dr Masuka.
Functional irrigated land increased from 173 000 hectares in 2020 to 237 417 hectares last year, representing an unprecedented 37,2 percent growth; the fastest expansion ever recorded.
Dr Masuka said these interventions ensured that even during the worst drought in 45 years in 2024, Zimbabwe remained food secure through locally produced wheat.
The sector’s gross value rose from US$5,2 billion in 2020 to US$10,3 billion last year, with agriculture contributing 33 percent of Zimbabwe’s projected 6,6 percent GDP growth this year.
Added Dr Masuka: “This recognition validates Zimbabwe’s home-grown solutions and positions the country as a global thought leader in climate-resilient agriculture.”
Zimbabwe’s agriculture sector strategy, driven by the “Agriculture Food Systems and Rural Transformation Strategy 2 (AFSRTS 2: 2026-2030)”, aims to transform the sector into a US$15,8 billion industry by 2030, anchored on food sovereignty, climate-proofed agriculture and enhanced productivity.
It focuses on transitioning from subsistence to commercial farming, promoting rural development, and improving nutrition through a food systems approach.
The Agriculture Food Systems and Rural Transformation Strategy 2 is the sector implementation plan of the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2) intended to accelerate the attainment of Vision 2030.
It has adopted “a food systems approach”— a value stream and value creation continuum, emphasising a holistic approach to development.
Using the food systems approach and value chain perspective, the Agriculture, Food Systems and Rural Transformation Strategy 2 is designed around five strategic impact areas in line with NDS 2.
These are food security and food sovereignty, nutrition security, improved livelihoods, agriculture-based and led economic growth and, land and tenure security.
