Agriculture
Gvt announces drought mitigation plans
In the report Masuka said that Zimbabwe’s double-pronged approach to climate-proofing agricultural production adopted in 2020 was bearing fruit with the country returning to national cereal sufficiency in normal rainfall years.
CABINET has adopted a report on the El-Nino-induced drought mitigation and resilience building strategies presented by the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Honourable Dr Anxious Masuka
In the report Masuka said that Zimbabwe’s two-pronged approach to climate-proofing agricultural production adopted in 2020 was bearing fruit with the country returning to national cereal sufficiency in normal rainfall years.
“At the small-holder level, the sustainable intensive conservation model, Pfumvudza/Intwasa, with the attendant agro-ecological matching of crops, launched in the 2020/2021 summer season, has largely worked well but it too is ultimately a rain-fed practice, relying on rainfall for its success.
At the national level, Cabinet approved the Accelerated Irrigation Rehabilitation and Development Plan in 2021, that seeks to develop 350 000 hectares for summer irrigation by 2025
The programme aims to produce 1.8 million mt of summer cereals annually, a figure that is adequate to feed the nation and generate a surplus.
“The nation will recall that Cabinet in 2023 also approved the designation of Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (ARDA) as the country’s food security agent, with a target to annually produce 500 000 metric tonnes of summer cereals from its 100 000 hectares irrigable area and 300 000 metric tonnes of winter cereals from the 60 000 hectares irrigable area.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa recently declared a National State of Disaster following this devastating 2023/2024 summer season El Nino-induced drought covering an indicative resource requirement of USD2 billion for mitigation and USD717 million for resilience building.
Th report was optimistic that Zimbabwe should emerge from this drought stronger and better-able to withstand future climate-induced shocks.
“To this end, the country has initiated interventions focused on mitigation and resilience-building classified into five pillars, Cereals Horticulture Livestock Fisheries and Water and Irrigation.”
Generally the resilience-building plan entails 100% agro-ecological matching of crops together with 100% adoption of Pfumvudza/Intwasa with supplementing irrigation where possible at critical stages by all households; and capacitation of institutions, workers and farmers.
#Cereals
Regarding contingency mitigation measures for cereals, government will import 300 000 metric tonnes of maize, while grain movement from areas with surplus to areas with deficit will be facilitated by the Grain Marketing Board.
This in addition to the wheat-based food security strategy which will contribute over 500 000 metric tonnes to the strategic grain reserve contributing to the maximum social welfare requirements of 780 000 metric tonnes.
#Horticulture
The focus will be on the development of the 10 000 Village Business Units across all provinces. To this end, drilling rigs have been re-distributed according to the number of villages by province.
To date, 1 329 128 of the 3.5 million vegetable packs have been distributed, 1 294 000 sweet potato virus-free elite vines have been distributed to 72 520 farmers and 229 of the targeted 10 000 Village Business Units established.
#Livestock Mitigation and Resilience
Strategies include the private sector importing 400 000 metric tonnes of maize for stock feed; and construction of 1 620 water troughs in 1 620 rural Wards. To date, 1 464 756 hay bales have been produced. Going forward, 1 000 dip tanks will be rehabilitated, while the distribution of 18 million indigenous chickens and 1.8 million goats will be accelerated under the Presidential Poultry and Goat Schemes.
#Fisheries
The country has 59 dams stocked with 465 000 fingerlings. Commercial cage fishing will be promoted as a business on 134 dams.
It is expected that 20 000 fish ponds will be established on 10 000 Village Business Units by November 2024, while the Government production of fingerlings is expanded annually by 60%.
#Water Resources, Irrigation Development
It is noted that Zimbabwe is endowed with good water resources.
The country has a total of 10 600 dams with potential to irrigate 1.46 million hectares. If the country taps into transboundary waters of the Zambezi river around Mlibizi and Kanyemba areas, an additional 450 000 hectares can be irrigated.
Cabinet notes that there has been a four-fold increase in the annual area under irrigation developed since 2020, when the Accelerated Irrigation Rehabilitation and Development Plan was launched cumulatively 219 000 hectares is now irrigable, of the targeted 496 000 by 2026.
An irrigation investment conference will be held on 5 July 2024 to accelerate investments in irrigation
Mechanisation
The number of tractors has increased by 60% and combine harvesters by 45% since the launch of the Agricultural Food Systems and Rural Transformation Strategy in 2020. To date the Belarus facility has provided the country with 1 337 tractors while a further 3 161 tractors and 80 combine harvesters are expected, while Bain New Holland will avail 700 tractors, and John Deere will avail 1300 tractors, 80 combine harvesters, 600 planters, and 200 boom sprayers.
The nation is also informed that the Government has solid strategies and measures for drought mitigation and resilience building. There are adequate grain stocks in the Strategic Grain Reserve to last until year end.