Lonster Mutata
Herald Correspondent
The Agricultural and Rural Development Authority has intensified its strategic role at the centre of the country’s national food security framework, rolling out a large-scale summer cereals programme for the 2025/26 agricultural season in line with Government policy.
Designated as the country’s food security agent under the national cropping plan, ARDA is spearheading production aimed at strengthening the Strategic Grain Reserve and reducing reliance on imports, while stimulating rural agricultural development.
Under the programme, ARDA is targeting 100 000 hectares of summer cereals, comprising 35 000 hectares of irrigated maize and 65 000 hectares of traditional grains destined for both the Strategic Grain Reserve and private sector markets.
The initiative is being implemented across ARDA estates, irrigation scheme business units, A1 and A2 joint-venture outgrowers, as well as clustered smallholder farmers in all eight farming provinces.
Providing an update on progress, ARDA chief executive officer Mr Tinotenda Mhiko said they are intensifying the national planting drive.
“We are in a massive planting exercise for the 2025/2026 summer season as part of our mandate to translate national food security policy into tangible production,” said Mr Mhiko.
He said the scale and coordination of the programme reflected ARDA’s renewed focus on efficiency, technology-driven agriculture and structured partnerships.
“This ambitious production drive, leveraging modern technology and well-structured partnerships, underscores ARDA’s central role in converting policy into measurable output that supports the Strategic Grain Reserve in maintaining adequate strategic stocks,” Mr Mhiko said.
In line with Government’s policy direction on climate-resilient agriculture, ARDA has significantly scaled up the production of traditional grains, tailoring crop choices to specific agro-ecological regions.
The Authority is providing farmers with working capital in the form of fertilisers, chemicals and climate-smart seed varieties to enhance productivity and resilience.
“Traditional grains are a strategic priority, particularly in regions prone to erratic rainfall,” Mr Mhiko noted.
“We are supporting farmers with the necessary inputs and capital to ensure viable yields, while irrigating maize farmers are also receiving working capital support.”
Through these interventions, ARDA continues to play a pivotal role in stabilising national grain supply chains, reinforcing the Strategic Grain Reserve and safeguarding Zimbabwe against food shortages and external shocks, while anchoring inclusive agricultural growth in rural communities.
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