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Precious Manomano

Herald Reporter

Zimbabwe continues to reclaim its bread basket status, breaking records of highest yields in majority crops grown last season in Africa in general, and SADC in particular.

The country has potential to be a net exporter of food and retain its status as SADC’s bread basket following the success of various policies that the Government has implemented to revive the agricultural sector.

Zimbabwe is targeting a US$13,75 billion agricultural sector by 2025 after it surpasses the initial US$8,2 billion target in 2021.

The growth was driven by the successful implementation of the Agricultural Recovery and Growth Plan, which was launched in 2020 to engender food security, import substitution , diversified exports and value addition.

Last season, US$1,7 billion was obtained through tobacco exports after the country produced 297 million kg of tobacco compared to 265 million kg that is expected this season.

This was the major milestone in the history of Zimbabwe since tobacco growing started.

Various measures have been put in place to ensure that the season becomes a success. These include contract farming aimed at supporting local farmers, while the Second Republic has also implemented irrigation rehabilitation programmes, soil and water conservation initiatives among a host of others that have increased output.

China is the world’s leading producer of tobacco and many provincial governments in China are dependent on the tobacco industry, which provides a major boost to local economies.

In 2022, the top exporters of raw tobacco were Brazil, India, Zimbabwe, United States and China. On wheat, the country is headed for a third consecutive bumper harvest  of 600 000 tonnes.

Last year, 468 000 tonnes were obtained and 2,3 million tonnes of maize were also achieved, showing a great improvement in the agricultural sector although this year major crops were seriously affected by drought.

Ethiopia and Zimbabwe are the two countries which are wheat self-sufficient.

The Second Republic is also accelerating the construction of 12 major dams in a bid to increase the area of crops under irrigation to 2 million ha. Last week, two significant public private partnerships valued at over US$220 million were signed by the Government with private entities to bolster irrigation development across the country.

In the livestock sector, several initiatives have been implemented by the Government to eradicate challenges of feed and water to ensure that the available 5 718 523 cattle cannot be affected by drought. These include enhancement of disease surveillance, veld fire management, availability of water and feed.

The Government is targeting to inseminate 6 000 cows this year in a bid to resuscitate the livestock sector, the programme will help to increase the national herd and improve breeding.

Pfumvudza programme was also adopted across Africa following its big successes in maize production  in Zimbabwe, it was meant to climate proof agriculture and ensure food security.

Agriculturist and Tobacco Farmers Union Trust vice president Mr Edward Dune said farmers are doing very well in tobacco farming, adding there is a need to localise production costs so that farmers can benefit.

“There is a big success story in tobacco production because farmers are producing tobacco well. The bulk of tobacco is exported benefiting merchants rather than farmers. The bulk of tobacco is grown under contract hence farmers have no control over the product.

“We appeal for the Government to localise production cost that will allow farmers to own the product, do value addition and beneficiation and exportation,” he said.

Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union president Dr Shadreck Makombe said farmers were positively contributing to the national granary despite the drought which was experienced this season.

“Farmers have acquired skills to use the land productively. The past seasons were good and we produced bumper harvests in all crops,” he said.

Recently, a political analyst, Dr Hamadziripi Dube, said the results shown by Zimbabwe’s agricultural sector over the past years clearly indicate that the country is a real bread basket of Africa.

“The agricultural sector is being progressively managed and improved which is well known as a weapon for poverty. The Presidential inputs, which our farmers are getting every year are being utilised wisely. As the local produce of wheat improves according to the records its an economic benefit that reduces the price of bread and the flour products across the country.”

He also indicated that Zimbabwe is on the right track for an economic and industrial turnaround agricultural sector being the driver.

“The command agriculture and Pfumvudza idea was a method to alleviate poverty in Zimbabwe and grow the economy. These programmes must stay and effort to improve it must be done yearly to accomplish the positive signs in the sector,” he said.

Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development permanent secretary Professor Obert Jiri said there is a need to move more towards irrigation development as it is vital for ensuring food security.