The 2023/2024 farming season has been severely impacted by the El Nino-induced drought, leading to a challenging food security situation. In response, the Cabinet recently received and reviewed the 2023/2024 Food Security Outlook, projecting conditions until March 2025, as well as the Winter Cereals Production Plan for 2024.
These critical reports were presented by the Honourable Dr. A.J. Masuka, Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Rural Development.
As of May 9, 2024, the grain stock at the Grain Marketing Board stood at 423,779 metric tonnes, which is sufficient to feed the rural populace. The private sector is expected to import all the stock feed requirements of 400,000 metric tonnes, and urban maize requirements of up to 450,000 metric tonnes by March 2025. Additionally, the private sector has the capacity to import 1,000,000 metric tonnes to mitigate the effects of the El Nino-induced drought.
This participation underscores President Mnangagwa’s unifying vision, encapsulated in his statement “nyika inovakwa nevene vayo” (a nation is built by its own people).
For the winter season, a production plan targeting 712,500 metric tonnes of wheat, barley, maize, sorghum, and potatoes has been set for 142,000 hectares of irrigated land. Essential inputs like power, water, seed, and fertilizers are being tracked weekly to ensure successful wheat production, which will supplement the country’s staple food reserves.
The entire Southern African region was affected by the El Nino season, with Zimbabwe being the hardest hit.
Despite this, the government remains resolute in its commitment to ensuring that no one succumbs to hunger, in line with the National Development Strategy 1, which prioritizes food security as a key development goal. Anticipating the severe impact of the El Nino phenomenon, His Excellency President E.D. Mnangagwa declared a State of Disaster on April 2, 2024.
The government is working tirelessly to prevent any hunger-related deaths, prioritizing the well-being and food security of all citizens.
Going forward, Zimbabwe’s food security strategy will focus on reducing reliance on rain-fed food production by strengthening initiatives such as climate-proofed agriculture, conservation agriculture, and expanding the area under irrigation. At the household level, the government has introduced conservative farming in rural areas to ensure household food security. Accordingly, farmers are urged to adopt environmentally friendly alternatives to ensure food security.
