Story by Wellington Makonese
ZIMBABWE is intensifying efforts to boost rice production through the revitalisation of rural irrigation schemes, aiming to reduce reliance on imports and attain national self-sufficiency.
This ambitious push is already taking shape in Nyanga, where the Manunure Irrigation Scheme has become a model for localised rice cultivation.
More than 50 farmers at the scheme in the Eastern Highlands are now actively cultivating the New Rice for Africa (NERICA) variety, an initiative spearheaded by the First Lady, Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, in partnership with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
“I started growing rice last year, following the First Lady’s outreach and training. The team from Japan has provided invaluable assistance, and I am confident in significantly expanding my production,” one rice farmer said.
The government has implemented deliberate measures to enhance rice production through strategic partnerships with Japanese counterparts, who are eager to expand their support and technical expertise.
“We expect farmers to expand, to share the seed, and to foster nationwide rice promotion and development. Currently, 80% of our rice is imported, and we are determined to reverse that trend. This partnership will significantly contribute to achieving food self-sufficiency. In countries like Japan, they have long achieved independence from rice imports,” Rice Specialist under the Department of Agricultural Research Innovation and Specialist Services, Mrs Nomsa Chizhande said.
“We commenced support on rice production through the First Lady’s initiative. Last year, we conducted demonstration plots, and this year, we have expanded our support to individual farmers. Rice thrives with sufficient water, and it possesses substantial potential to cover import substitution. We are now supporting the entire rice value chain, including production and mechanisation. We are committed to providing support across various stages of production. We are also replicating this successful model in other African regions,” Resident Representative for JICA Zimbabwe, Mr Shigeki Furuta said.
The developments feed into the Agriculture and Food Systems Rural Transformation Strategy, which aims to enhance agricultural productivity in rural areas and establish a robust and viable industry, aligning with the national vision of achieving upper middle-income status by 2030.
The “Rice Research, Development, and Production Advisor Project,” initiated in 2024 through JICA, aims to boost rice production and productivity in Zimbabwe through research capacity development, seed provision, and farmer training, focusing on the use of NERICA rice varieties for sustainable food security and improved livelihoods.
These efforts come at a critical juncture, as the country faces an annual rice requirement of 300 000 tonnes, while current domestic production stands at a mere 3 000 tonnes.
A National Rice Development Strategy (NRDS) is being formulated, with the Second Republic’s National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) guiding its implementation towards Vision 2030, aiming for an empowered and prosperous upper-middle-income society.
