Zimbabwe govt to rolls out 35,000 tractors for villages

The Government is set to roll out an ambitious rural mechanisation programme that will see 35,000 tractors distributed across Zimbabwe, with each of the country's villages receiving at least one tractor to modernise agriculture, increase productivity and strengthen national food security ahead of the upcoming summer cropping season.

The programme, which is expected to be officially launched by President Emmerson Mnangagwa within the next two months, forms part of the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2) and is aimed at transforming subsistence farming into commercially viable rural enterprises through Village Business Units (VBUs).

Speaking at the Zimbabwe Industrialisation Conference and Expo (ZICE 2026) held last week, Agriculture, Mechanisation, Water and Rural Resettlement Minister Anxious Masuka said the initiative would ensure every village is equipped with machinery suited to its farming needs.

"The President, in the next two months, will be launching a mechanisation programme for 35,000 villages, so that each village, in our view, must have a tractor suitable for their circumstances," said Masuka.

He said the programme would not only improve agricultural productivity but also create opportunities for local industry through the assembly and eventual manufacture of tractors in Zimbabwe.

"I expect that innovative businesses will see a business opportunity in establishing an assembling plant for tractors, but also to go further to begin to manufacture them. As Government, we have visited two countries where we feel we can start localisation of the assembly of these tractors," he said.

The mechanisation drive seeks to replace the traditional hoe and animal-drawn plough, which have dominated Zimbabwean agriculture for generations, with modern farming equipment capable of improving efficiency and increasing production.

Masuka said mechanisation remained one of the key pillars for agricultural transformation, noting that Zimbabwe's tractor fleet had more than doubled in recent years.

"The tractor fleet was 7,500 in 2017 and we are currently sitting at 17,800 tractors. I expect another 5,000 tractors to be coming soon because we have 11 dealers that we are working with," he said.

He added that Government was also mobilising additional tractors for the commercial farming sector while implementing policies aimed at encouraging greater youth participation in agriculture.

"The policy now is that 20 percent of land that becomes available must go to the youths," Masuka said.

He said agriculture remained central to Zimbabwe's economic development and poverty reduction agenda under Vision 2030, with the Agriculture Food Systems and Rural Transformation Strategy 2 (2026-2030) focusing on 35 crop, livestock and fisheries value chains.

Masuka said agriculture's contribution extends beyond primary production, supporting manufacturing industries such as food and beverage processing through agro-based value chains.

Also addressing delegates at the conference, Finance and Economic Development Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube said he was not expected to introduce major policy changes when presenting the Mid-Term Budget and Economic Review in Parliament this week.

"We have stability in the economy right now. We have the lowest inflation rate in both local and foreign currency. We have fiscal and monetary discipline, good coordination and it is showing in the rest of the economy and the economy is going strong," said Ncube.

He said the Government intended to maintain the current policy direction rather than introduce significant changes midway through the year.

"I do not expect dramatic changes or policies. We want to keep things as they are. The ship is sailing steadily; do not disturb it," he said.

The Zimbabwe Industrialisation Conference and Expo was officially opened by President Mnangagwa and brought together Cabinet ministers, business leaders, diplomats and other key stakeholders to discuss strategies for accelerating industrialisation and economic growth.