Patrick Chitumba-Zimpapers Reporter
ZIMBABWE is poised for a record-breaking 600 000 tonnes of wheat harvest this season — the highest output in history — as the country moves beyond self-sufficiency to building strategic grain reserves.
Under President Mnangagwa, the Second Republic has pursued policies aimed at boosting production and achieving self-sufficiency in wheat, with the intention to ultimately become a net exporter.
The Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (Arda) says preliminary figures show that the country’s target of 300 000 tonnes under its estates, irrigation schemes and joint ventures will not only be met but exceeded, driven by improved productivity and strong partnerships between the public and private sectors.
Nationally, the bumper harvest is expected to surpass the country’s annual consumption requirement of 360 000 tonnes, ensuring local millers receive uninterrupted supplies and eliminating the need for costly imports that previously drained foreign currency reserves.
In an interview, Arda chief executive officer Mr Tino Mhiko said harvesting is progressing well across all production zones, with yields pointing to another successful season.
“We started harvesting our early-planted crop last week, and progress is encouraging. To date, we have harvested 521 hectares, translating to 3 445 tonnes at an average yield of 6,6 tonnes per hectare. The trend across our estates shows that our 300 000-tonne target will be exceeded,” he said.
Mr Mhiko attributed the strong performance to the adoption of technology-driven and climate-smart farming methods.
“Our focus has been on enhancing productivity through the deployment of technology, soil health preservation and water conservation. These approaches guarantee food self-sufficiency, food security and food sovereignty in line with the national vision,” he said.
The 2025 winter wheat season benefited from improved power supply after ZETDC ring-fenced 150 megawatts for irrigation — up from 120 MW last year — ensuring uninterrupted operations throughout the critical growing period.
Mr Mhiko said Arda’s success forms part of the broader Agriculture and Food Systems Transformation Strategy, championed by the Second Republic to boost productivity and ensure a consistent supply to local millers.
“Having achieved wheat self-sufficiency since 2022, our next focus is on building strategic grain reserves to cushion the nation against future shocks,” he said.
Before 2018, Zimbabwe was importing more than 80 percent of its wheat, mainly from Eastern Europe, spending over US$100 million annually on imports to cater for the deficit.
Erratic power supply, poor irrigation infrastructure and limited access to inputs had crippled production for years.
However, following targeted interventions under the Second Republic’s Agricultural Recovery Plan and the Agriculture and Food Systems Transformation Strategy (2020–2025), the country began to turn the tide.
In 2022, Zimbabwe achieved wheat self-sufficiency for the first time in 56 years, producing 375 000 tonnes, followed by another bumper harvest of over 467 000 tonnes in 2023, cementing its position as one of only two African countries — alongside Ethiopia — to achieve wheat self-sufficiency.
Since the coming in of the Second Republic in 2017, Zimbabwe’s agriculture sector has undergone transformation in food production and rural development. Guided by bold policies and strategic investments, the sector has consistently surpassed its targets, most notably exceeding the initial US$8 billion agricultural economy goal ahead of schedule, prompting an upward revision to US$13,75 billion.
Wheat production has been a standout success, with Zimbabwe now ranked among the top eight producers in Africa that are self-sufficient.
These milestones have been underpinned by increased hectarage under irrigation, contract farming models and greater private sector participation through joint ventures and out-grower schemes facilitated by Arda and the Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Ministry.
The Grain Marketing Board has maintained the producer price for the 2025 season at US$450 per tonne, a move that wheat farmers have welcomed as both competitive and sustainable. The price aligns with import parity and ensures farmers remain motivated to sustain high yields.
Farmers also lauded the Government for ensuring key enablers — including seed, fertiliser, fuel, irrigation infrastructure and financial support — were made available on time.
Arda, established in 1981 under the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, spearheads agricultural development through the management of State farms, irrigation schemes and private joint ventures. Today, it accounts for over half of Zimbabwe’s wheat production, positioning it as a critical player in achieving national food security.
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