The country has been experiencing heavy rains over the past week, signaling the start of the rainy season and the 2024/5 agricultural season. Given Zimbabwe’s agrarian economy, farmers are encouraged to make the most of this opportunity by enhancing productivity on their land.
Farmers are actively preparing their land in response to the rains, with hopes of surpassing the record-breaking maize, wheat, and tobacco harvests achieved under the New Dispensation. Zimbabwe has already seen remarkable successes, with maize yields surpassing 2.8 million metric tonnes and wheat reaching 375,000 metric tonnes.
Following the impacts of the El Nino-induced drought, which continues to affect the nation, maximizing productivity is crucial, especially with the favorable rainfall. The Ministry of Agriculture is urged to expedite the distribution of inputs through the climate-proofing program, Pfumvudza, to ensure household food security.
Input production companies also play a key role in supporting farmers by making chemicals, seed, and fertilizers readily available and affordable. They are encouraged to avoid insisting on USD payments exclusively, given that ZiG remains legal tender in Zimbabwe.
