Zimbabwe wheat self-sufficient as Government policies pays off

Bongani Ndlovu, Online Reporter

SOUND agricultural policies, hinged on mechanisation have made Zimbabwe wheat self-sufficient and in the next two years, the country will not need to import fertiliser.

Speaker of Parliament Advocate Jacob Mudenda said this in Arusha Tanzania for the 53rd Plenary Assembly Session of the SADC Parliamentary Forum.

This is one among a myriad of achievements by the second republic under the stewardship of President Mnangagwa.

The meeting is running under the theme, “Agriculture to address food insecurity and youth Unemployment in the SADC region: The role of Parliamentarians.”

The Second Republic under the leadership of President Mnangagwa has made great strides in the agricultural sector by introducing smart farming techniques that have seen the increase in hectarage of wheat farming.

As a result, last season, Zimbabwe and Ethiopia were the only two African countries to achieve wheat self-sufficiency with Government having increased the 2023 winter wheat production target to 85 000 hectares from 80 388 planted in 2022 to further solidify gains from the previous year.

Presenting on the theme, as well as the implementation matrix by Zimbabwe of the resolutions of the 52nd Plenary Assembly meetings, Advocate Mudenda said Zimbabwe no longer imports from Russia and Ukraine.

”Consequently, the mechanisation of the agriculture sector has resulted in surplus production of corn and in particular wheat in the past cropping seasons. Zimbabwe no longer imports wheat and other grains from Ukraine and Russia.

“With the increase of phosphate production, Zimbabwe will be self-sufficient in its fertilizer needs in the next two years. The Government of Zimbabwe has made tremendous strides in capacitating extension officers/ frontline cadres both technically as well as materially by way of tools of trade in order to enhance the data revolution spread,” said Advocate Mudenda, according to the Parliament’s Twitter page.

The Speaker of Parliament also highlighted the need for smart agriculture, as well as the centrality of providing financing models to support youth in agriculture, as typified by the setting up of a Youth Bank in Zimbabwe, he encouraged SADC to emulate the trailblazing phenomenon.