Story by Tamuka Charakupa
ZIMBABWE’’s agricultural recovery drive is gathering momentum, with State-led institutions exceeding seasonal production targets and recalibrating their focus towards value addition as a pillar of rural industrialisation.
As Government intensifies efforts to secure national food self-sufficiency and stimulate economic transformation, agriculture continues to anchor the broader development agenda. This season, improved coordination, institutional reforms and the adoption of modern technologies have translated into higher-than-anticipated output across key crops.
The Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (ARDA) has planted more than 101 000 hectares of maize and traditional grains during the current summer cropping season, marking a significant milestone in the country’s food production efforts. With output targets surpassed, attention is now shifting towards agro-processing and value addition, particularly within rural communities.
ARDA chief executive officer Mr Tinotenda Mhiko said the authority’s performance reflects a deliberate strategy centred on scale, efficiency and innovation.
“As ARDA, during this summer cropping season, we planted at least 34 752 hectares of irrigated maize and 66 478 hectares of sorghum through various models, including our own estates, joint ventures and structured small-scale farmer clusters. We have also invested significantly in advanced technologies such as drones for chemical spraying and fertiliser application. This has improved efficiency, reduced costs and enhanced precision in our operations, enabling us to achieve higher productivity across our farms and schemes,” Mr Mhiko said.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Development, Professor Obert Jiri, said the gains recorded by ARDA reaffirm its strategic role in safeguarding national food security.
“ARDA remains a critical food security agent for the country. Its role goes beyond production to ensuring stability, consistency and the maintenance of strategic reserves that support national development objectives. As productivity increases and targets are surpassed, there must be a deliberate push towards value addition. Increased investment in agro-processing will ensure that agriculture contributes more meaningfully to industrial growth and rural development.”
In Mashonaland West Province alone, ARDA has planted more than 17 000 hectares of sorghum and over 10 000 hectares of maize, with further investments continuing through commercial ventures, joint-venture initiatives and the capacitation of smallholder farmers.
With production targets being exceeded, attention is shifting towards value addition to anchor rural industrialisation and economic transformation under Vision 2030.
