Zimbabwe is fast emerging as a continental leader in plant breeding and seed innovation, with locally developed seed varieties now being cultivated across Africa, marking a major stride in the continent’s efforts to achieve food security and agricultural resilience.
This development was highlighted at the 4th African Plant Breeders Association (APBA) Conference currently underway in Victoria Falls, where the association’s president, Professor Julia Sibiya, praised Zimbabwe’s significant progress in formalising its seed sector compared to other African nations.
Held in southern Africa for the first time, the conference has drawn nearly 400 delegates from national agricultural systems, universities, private companies, and policy institutions, all converging to discuss the future of seed systems and sustainable farming.
Professor Sibiya’s remarks underscore Zimbabwe’s growing reputation as a seed innovation hub. Over the past decade, the country’s scientists and seed companies have developed varieties that can withstand drought, pests, and changing climatic conditions. These innovations are now being exported across the region, feeding millions and boosting productivity in countries once dependent on imported seed technologies.
Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Minister, Dr Anxious Masuka, urged researchers to go beyond scientific breakthroughs and develop practical, people-centered solutions aimed at ending hunger and malnutrition. He emphasized that plant breeding must be aligned with national food systems transformation goals and that innovation should directly benefit smallholder farmers, the backbone of Africa’s agriculture.
Zimbabwe’s success is not accidental but a result of long-term investment in research and development. Institutions like the Crop Breeding Institute and the Seed Services Department have worked hand in hand with private firms such as Seed Co, Pannar, and K2 Seeds to produce high-yielding, climate-smart varieties of maize, sorghum, and legumes.
Analysts note that Zimbabwe’s leadership in plant breeding also presents an opportunity for economic growth through regional partnerships and seed exports. The country’s focus on self-reliance, science-based policies, and regional collaboration aligns with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the Malabo Declaration, which prioritise food sovereignty and agricultural transformation.
As the APBA Conference continues, Zimbabwe’s success story serves as both inspiration and evidence that African-led solutions can transform the continent’s agricultural landscape. The challenge ahead lies in scaling these innovations, strengthening policy frameworks, and ensuring that every farmer, from communal lands to commercial estates, benefits from the advances in plant science.
Zimbabwe has not only shown that it can feed itself, but that it can also feed the region, one seed at a time, proving that the future of Africa’s agriculture lies firmly in African hands.
