Trymore Tagwirei
The government has reaffirmed its commitment to transforming Zimbabwe’s agricultural sector through the Agriculture, Food Systems and Rural Transformation Strategy 2 (AFSRTS2), which will run from 2026 to 2030.
Led by the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development under Minister Dr. Anxious Masuka, the new strategy builds on the successes of the first phase (2020–2025) and seeks to strengthen partnerships with farmers and stakeholders to ensure food security, economic growth and rural transformation.
Addressing delegates at the recent Zimbabwe Farmers Union (ZFU) 85th Annual Congress, Dr. Masuka commended the growing collaboration between Government and farmers’ unions.
“The formal and informal interactions, collaboration, cooperation and coordination — many being very candid exchanges — have strengthened our collective resolve to transform agriculture, household by household, village by village, and value chain by value chain,” said Masuka.
He acknowledged persistent challenges facing farmers, including high production costs, climate change, weak markets, delayed payments and financing constraints, particularly under the Grain Marketing Board (GMB).
However, Masuka said the new strategy was designed to address these issues and drive further growth.
“The Agriculture, Food Systems and Rural Transformation Strategy 2 seek to tackle these challenges and support sustained growth of the sector — from a USD 10.3 billion industry in 2025 to USD 15.8 billion by 2030,” said Masuka.
The strategy focuses on five key areas: food security and sovereignty, nutrition security, agricultural competitiveness, climate resilience and value addition.
Looking ahead to the 2025/2026 farming season, Masuka said government plans to increase grain production and rebuild national reserves.
“We plan to produce enough to feed the nation, replenish the Strategic Grain Reserve and increase exports. For cereals, we target 2.6 million hectares to produce 3.2 million metric tonnes against an annual requirement of up to 2.2 million metric tonnes,” said Masuka.
He expressed optimism about the coming season, citing forecasts of normal to above-normal rainfall, and urged farmers to adopt modern production methods to improve profitability.
“Farmers should focus on four key goals — increase quantity, improve quality, reduce costs and secure better prices,” he advised.
Masuka also applauded the ZFU for its continued role in promoting farmer empowerment.
“I wish the entire ZFU constituency all the very best for the coming season. Let this be another record-breaking year building on our tobacco, blueberry and wheat successes,” he said while officially opening the congress.
The congress, attended by farmers, policymakers and agricultural experts, highlighted Government’s renewed determination to strengthen food sovereignty and transform rural livelihoods.
