Zimbabwe drafts five-year plan to transform agribusiness sector

Judith Phiri, Zimpapers Business Hub

THE Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development’s Business Development Markets and Trade Department is drafting a five-year strategic plan to map out a long-term growth trajectory for Zimbabwe’s agribusiness sector.

The agribusiness industry is crucial as it drives the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) and provides employment for a significant proportion of the population. This has prompted Government to implement reforms aimed at reducing bureaucracy and fees to boost investment across the agriculture sector.

Major crops in Zimbabwe include tobacco, maize and sugarcane, but there are growing opportunities in horticulture, agro-processing, livestock, irrigation services and precision agriculture.

The department’s Chief Director, Mr Clement Taderera Bwenje, said a bold reorientation of Zimbabwe’s agribusiness landscape was critical.

“The department’s core mandate is to grow businesses, farmers, private players and the ministry’s departments by ensuring that every link in the value chain turns to profit. Our role is to create an environment for farmers to make money, allow the private sector to make money, and enable Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to deliver services in a well-functioning market,” he said.

He added that the department is now laser-focused on reshaping commodity marketing by instituting formal, standards-driven markets with consistency in quality and supply.

Mr Bwenje said investment promotion and resource mobilisation were critical, given the scarcity of Government funds, and this aligns with the National Development Strategy 1 and 2 (NDS1 & NDS2).

“Looking ahead, the department is drafting a five-year strategic plan, a first since its inception, to chart long-term growth. Key outcomes include a roadmap for resource mobilisation, improved market access for agro-commodities and the development of concrete outputs and deliverables. The aim is to transform Zimbabwe’s food system into a resilient and market-driven engine for national prosperity,” he said.

Meanwhile, Agricultural and Rural Development Advisory Services (Ardas) Chief Director, Mrs Medlinah Magwenzi, said smallholder farmers are the undisputed backbone of Zimbabwe’s food security, contributing up to 70 percent of national output.

“The Government has a strong commitment to this sector. For the past five years, the Government has consistently supported an impressive three million smallholder farmers through the transformative Pfumvudza/Intwasa programme. This flagship initiative has fundamentally changed the landscape of rural productivity, and by extension, national food security,” she said.

She explained that Pfumvudza/Intwasa is more than just an input scheme; it is a climate-smart blueprint for sustainable productivity. Farmers who embraced the concept are now moving beyond reliance on free handouts of food.

Mrs Magwenzi said some farmers are now independently buying their own inputs, fencing their land and acquiring personal assets — turning the need for free support into a distant memory and demonstrating genuine self-sufficiency.

“To ensure long-term resilience, the Government is cementing these gains by focusing on key enablers. These include providing commercialised conservation agriculture (CA) tillage and mechanisation services. Crucially, in addressing climate change, the Government is making water availability a top priority through the resuscitation of water bodies such as boreholes, weirs and dams. By combining this with agro-ecological region tailoring, it ensures farmers plant crops optimally suited to their areas,” she said.

She affirmed that Zimbabwean farmers are well-equipped to thrive and continue improving their livelihoods.