ZIMBABWE is rewriting its agriculture history, rising from modest beginnings to setting sights on producing 1,5 million tonnes of wheat by 2030, Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Minister Dr Anxious Masuka has said.
Such a record-breaking haul will elevate the country to the ranks of Africa’s leading wheat exporters like Ethiopia.
Speaking in Harare recently, Dr Masuka said the 1,5 million wheat target was realistic and achievable considering the ground that has been covered so far, where over 640 000 tonnes were attained this year.
“By 2030, Zimbabwe will be producing a mega 1,5 million tonnes of wheat.
“This achievement will not only reinforce our position as Africa’s breadbasket, but also unlock massive value addition across the wheat value chain,” he said.
The country’s agriculture sector has been on a major rebound, surpassing the US$8,2 billion industry target set for the end of this year, to reach US$10,3 billion.
By 2030, the sector is expected to be a US$15 billion industry.
As the entire agricultural sector grows, the wheat sub-sector has been shining; achieving unprecedented growth after rising from just 95 000 tonnes in 2019 to more than 640 000 tonnes this year, surpassing domestic consumption and securing self-sufficiency.
The achievements have never been matched in the history of commercial wheat farming in the country from 1965.
Expanded acreage, mechanisation, irrigation and supportive policies by the Second Republic under President Mnangagwa, have transformed wheat from a staple crop into a strategic surplus, creating opportunities for regional exports and industrial development.
Dr Masuka highlighted the nation’s continental distinction in wheat production, noting that only Zimbabwe and Ethiopia are self-sufficient in wheat. “We currently have a surplus of soft wheat of about 200 000 metric tonnes, and discussions with SADC countries to export this surplus are at an advanced stage,” he said.
With local demand around 450 000 tonnes, the nation’s surplus positions it for both domestic food security and regional trade.
A landmark innovation in the wheat sector so far is the introduction of a locally grown wheat variety capable of producing hard wheat characteristics, previously imported for bread-making.
Said Dr Masuka: “By 2028, there will be no need to import the hard wheat component, which makes up 30 percent of our blending requirements.”
This breakthrough highlights Zimbabwe’s commitment to industrialising agriculture, enhancing value addition and fully capitalising on its wheat potential.
With these bold moves, the country is not merely feeding its people, it is transforming ambition into measurable achievement, hectare by hectare, tonne by tonne and positioning itself as a beacon of agricultural success and industrial opportunity in Africa. – Herald