News / National
Zimbabwe ups wheat production momentum
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As early morning mists lift over Zimbabwe's farming belts, tractors roar to life and irrigation pivots sweep across golden fields, signaling the start of the 2025 winter wheat season. The Government began distributing winter wheat inputs on May 1, assuring farmers of sufficient resources for the season ahead.
This year, the Government aims to produce 600,000 tonnes of wheat from 120,000 hectares, a target that comfortably exceeds the country's local annual demand of 360,000 tonnes.
However, behind the scenes of this agricultural push lies a critical development — the disbursement of overdue payments to wheat farmers for last season's deliveries. This week, the Treasury released US$5 million and ZiG15 million to the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) to clear part of the outstanding debts owed to wheat producers. These payments bring the total settled amount to US$28 million and ZiG230 million, a substantial injection that is already unlocking productivity and preserving momentum as farmers return to their fields.
More than just a financial transaction, this move reflects the Government's commitment under President Emmerson Mnangagwa's leadership to bolster Zimbabwe's food systems, enhance national food security, and drive the nation's transformation into an upper-middle-income economy by 2030 — a vision encapsulated in the philosophy Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo ("A country is built by its own people"). Wheat production sits at the heart of this Vision 2030.
Zimbabwe's wheat production has endured decades of decline, battered by economic hardships and climate challenges. Yet under the Second Republic, a new narrative is emerging. The country achieved a record wheat harvest of over 375,000 tonnes in 2022 — the highest since wheat farming began here in 1964. This milestone was supported by strategic investments in irrigation infrastructure, prioritisation of power supply, and targeted farmer incentives.
The momentum continued in 2023, and this year's planting targets match last year's acreage of 120,000 hectares, with hopes to surpass previous output.
Delays in payments threatened to undermine this progress. Many farmers depend on earnings from previous harvests to fund critical activities such as land preparation, input procurement, and irrigation.
Farming communities had voiced growing anxiety as the planting window approached, but the Government's decisive intervention has restored much-needed confidence.
GMB CEO Dr. Edson Badarai commended the Treasury's resource mobilisation efforts: "GMB greatly appreciates all the efforts being put in place by Treasury as farmers prepare for the winter wheat cropping season."
He also paid tribute to the resilience of Zimbabwe's farming community, saying, "We greatly appreciate the dedication of our farmers as the country drives towards wheat-based food self-sufficiency."
In addition to financial support, authorities have ensured adequate tillage equipment deployment. The Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) has been engaged to ring-fence power supply to irrigation schemes — a vital factor for winter wheat production.
Wheat production is more than an agricultural goal; it is a strategic pillar of the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), which guides Zimbabwe's pathway toward Vision 2030. Under NDS1, agriculture is both a growth engine and a tool for inclusive development, engaging thousands of smallholder and commercial farmers in national progress.
In 2022, Zimbabwe achieved wheat self-sufficiency for the first time in decades through a mix of public-private partnerships, enhanced extension services, and targeted subsidies.
The Government's approach has included strengthening institutions like the Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA), ensuring seed and fertiliser availability, and modernising infrastructure in key farming zones.
Agriculture economist Simbarashe Mudzvova highlighted the broader benefits, stating, "Agricultural productivity, particularly in key crops like wheat, means fewer imports, stronger local value chains, and more vibrant rural economies. Paying farmers on time is critical to sustaining this cycle of productivity."
As Zimbabwe's wheat fields turn golden once again this season, the combination of strategic support, timely payments, and farmer resilience offers hope that the country's breadbasket legacy is firmly being restored.
This year, the Government aims to produce 600,000 tonnes of wheat from 120,000 hectares, a target that comfortably exceeds the country's local annual demand of 360,000 tonnes.
However, behind the scenes of this agricultural push lies a critical development — the disbursement of overdue payments to wheat farmers for last season's deliveries. This week, the Treasury released US$5 million and ZiG15 million to the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) to clear part of the outstanding debts owed to wheat producers. These payments bring the total settled amount to US$28 million and ZiG230 million, a substantial injection that is already unlocking productivity and preserving momentum as farmers return to their fields.
More than just a financial transaction, this move reflects the Government's commitment under President Emmerson Mnangagwa's leadership to bolster Zimbabwe's food systems, enhance national food security, and drive the nation's transformation into an upper-middle-income economy by 2030 — a vision encapsulated in the philosophy Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo ("A country is built by its own people"). Wheat production sits at the heart of this Vision 2030.
Zimbabwe's wheat production has endured decades of decline, battered by economic hardships and climate challenges. Yet under the Second Republic, a new narrative is emerging. The country achieved a record wheat harvest of over 375,000 tonnes in 2022 — the highest since wheat farming began here in 1964. This milestone was supported by strategic investments in irrigation infrastructure, prioritisation of power supply, and targeted farmer incentives.
The momentum continued in 2023, and this year's planting targets match last year's acreage of 120,000 hectares, with hopes to surpass previous output.
Delays in payments threatened to undermine this progress. Many farmers depend on earnings from previous harvests to fund critical activities such as land preparation, input procurement, and irrigation.
Farming communities had voiced growing anxiety as the planting window approached, but the Government's decisive intervention has restored much-needed confidence.
GMB CEO Dr. Edson Badarai commended the Treasury's resource mobilisation efforts: "GMB greatly appreciates all the efforts being put in place by Treasury as farmers prepare for the winter wheat cropping season."
He also paid tribute to the resilience of Zimbabwe's farming community, saying, "We greatly appreciate the dedication of our farmers as the country drives towards wheat-based food self-sufficiency."
In addition to financial support, authorities have ensured adequate tillage equipment deployment. The Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) has been engaged to ring-fence power supply to irrigation schemes — a vital factor for winter wheat production.
Wheat production is more than an agricultural goal; it is a strategic pillar of the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), which guides Zimbabwe's pathway toward Vision 2030. Under NDS1, agriculture is both a growth engine and a tool for inclusive development, engaging thousands of smallholder and commercial farmers in national progress.
In 2022, Zimbabwe achieved wheat self-sufficiency for the first time in decades through a mix of public-private partnerships, enhanced extension services, and targeted subsidies.
The Government's approach has included strengthening institutions like the Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA), ensuring seed and fertiliser availability, and modernising infrastructure in key farming zones.
Agriculture economist Simbarashe Mudzvova highlighted the broader benefits, stating, "Agricultural productivity, particularly in key crops like wheat, means fewer imports, stronger local value chains, and more vibrant rural economies. Paying farmers on time is critical to sustaining this cycle of productivity."
As Zimbabwe's wheat fields turn golden once again this season, the combination of strategic support, timely payments, and farmer resilience offers hope that the country's breadbasket legacy is firmly being restored.
Source - zimpapers
