Zim headed for incredible wheat haul

Poised for third consecutive bumper harvest

Guarantees affordable bread prices

Theseus Shambare

ZIMBABWE is headed for yet another record-breaking winter wheat farming season, with early signs pointing towards a healthy crop across the country.

At 121 982 hectares (ha), farmers planted the most hectarage since commercial production of the cereal began in the 1960s.

It surpassed last year’s record of 91 000ha.

Zimbabwe is now projected to harvest a whopping 600 000 tonnes (t) of the cash crop, eclipsing the impressive 468 000t realised last year.

With the country’s annual wheat demand at 360 000t, a surplus of about 240 000t is expected to bolster the country’s strategic grain reserves.

Currently, most of the early planted crop is at the vegetative stage, while the late-planted one is germinating.

Recent success in wheat production, which has seen two consecutive years of bumper harvests, has been attributed to meticulous planning, enhanced public-private partnerships, improved farming techniques and the overall revitalisation of the agriculture sector since the advent of the Second Republic.

Experts say the most impressive aspect of this resurgence lies in the rise of smallholder farmers.

Remarkably, over 80 percent of wheat growers are smallholder farmers who benefited from the Land Reform Programme.

In an interview with The Sunday Mail, Agricultural Advisory and Rural Development Services (AARDS) acting chief director Mr Leonard Munamati said the Government’s support to farmers has driven the sector’s exponential growth.

“On top of our usual commercial farmers who have been consistently increasing hectarage through various schemes, this season has seen smallholder farmers utilising their small Pfumvudza/Intwasa plots for winter wheat production,” he said.

“This is because small plots are easy to manage and through using water sources like boreholes, small dams and nearby perennial rivers, smallholder farmers are making their mark in wheat production.

“Communal and A1 farmers who have up to five hectares of land also received support under the Presidential Inputs Programme.”

These farmers, he said, will use this wheat for household consumption as a substitute for the maize crop that failed during the summer cropping season.

Surplus production is expected to be sold to the Grain Marketing Board (GMB).

Driving growth

Part of the success story has also been attributed to the efficacy of the Government-led joint venture framework.

Some farmers with large landholdings have entered into joint ventures with resource-rich partners.

The framework, which has been operational since 2020, connects investors with landowning beneficiaries of the Land Reform Programme to ensure optimal land utilisation.

A remarkable 52 percent of the land put under the crop, totalling 61 815ha, has been cultivated under Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (ARDA) joint venture contracts, with private joint ventures contributing an additional 47 717ha.

Guruve farmer Mr Ashton Munaki, who is under the Government-monitored joint venture framework, is an example of success of the programme.

“Before the Land Reform Programme, wheat farming was a preserve of commercial farmers, who were predominantly white,” he said.

“I had never imagined myself being part of such success stories,” he told The Sunday Mail.

Mr Munaki entered into a five-year joint venture with his partner, Mr Liberty Mukoyi, leveraging on his 50ha plot and the latter’s financial resources.

Together, they revitalised a defunct irrigation system, drilled boreholes and have seen their production steadily increase.

“We are in our second year and the results are amazing,” he said.

“We started with just 20 hectares, but this year we planted 35 hectares.

“We are aiming to harvest an average of 7 tonnes per hectare, up from 6 tonnes last year.”

Capacitation

The success of this season’s production lies in several Government-led interventions meant to support farmers and increase production and productivity.

In a major boost, the GMB successfully cleared all outstanding payments to farmers from previous seasons and announced improved producer prices in advance.

The uninterrupted supply of electricity and water to farmers has also helped.

Crucially, the authorities have ring-fenced 100 megawatts of power for irrigation.

Banks and contractors have also been directed to treat electricity as a critical input and prepay part of the estimated bill on behalf of farmers to the national power utility — the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority.

The Zimbabwe National Water Authority, on the other hand, has introduced a seasonal billing system, under which no monthly interest accrues on overdue bills until farmers on stop-order arrangements have been paid.

According to AARDS, the Government successfully distributed more than 15 000t of seed to farmers.

Both basal and top-dressing fertilisers were given to farmers through their local GMB depots.

Fuel availability has been guaranteed through Petrotrade outlets.

Farmers are receiving about 115 litres of fuel for every hectare they have put under wheat.

Additionally, at least 1 600 litres of fenthion, a chemical used to control quelea birds, have been secured, with plans underway to import more. Demand currently stands at 5 000 litres.

Agricultural extension workers also underwent capacitation through training and are currently on the ground, assisting farmers.

Following the conclusion of the planting phase, extension officers have been deployed to guide farmers on how to implement good agronomic practices like fertiliser application, irrigation scheduling and pest control.

Moving forward

Zimbabwe Commercial Farmers Union president Dr Shadreck Makombe applauded the Government’s efforts.

“The initiatives and support being rendered to us as farmers is a clear testimony that we are moving forward as a team,” he said.

“While farmers are looking forward to succeeding in business, consumers are also looking forward to enhanced food security through increased production by our farmers.

“Having surplus wheat will mean expansion of our business as we look for new export markets, which is good for us as a country.”

Savings and benefits

Experts estimate that over US$100 million in cost savings is accruing to Zimbabwe annually owing to import substitution on wheat.

This has not only bolstered food security but also added impetus to economic growth.

Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe spokesperson Mr Adolf Chirimuuta said: “Wheat is the biggest source of carbohydrate and protein for ordinary Zimbabweans, and produces bread, which is now the country’s second staple.

“Its availability enhances food security at national and household levels.

“We had been importing wheat worth more than US$100 million annually, but now local wheat production is saving the country that foreign currency, which would have been sent outside the country to support foreign wheat farmers.”

He also said increased output has a positive multiplier effect on the economy.

“As industry, we are happy with the continued growth in local wheat production as this guarantees us ready raw materials and makes our production forecasting and planning easier, stabilises flour prices and guarantees product availability.”

The Consumer Council of Zimbabwe (CCZ) expects stable wheat product prices, a massive boost for hard-pressed consumers reeling from the recent drought.

Soft wheat, which Zimbabwe produces, is milled into flour and used to make a wide range of foods, including bread, muffins, noodles, pasta, biscuits, cakes, cookies, pastries and cereal bars.

“From a consumer perspective, the anticipated bumper harvest is good news,” said
CCZ chief executive officer Mrs Rosemary Mpofu.

“We stand to benefit immensely by way of price stability of products produced from wheat. In a way, surplus wheat will be exported, bringing in the much-needed foreign currency to sustain the economy.

“In turn, we are bound to see improved livelihoods and food security at household level, as the country regains its status as the breadbasket of Southern Africa.”

This season’s anticipated bumper harvest reinforces Zimbabwe’s potential as an agricultural powerhouse.

Zimbabwe is not just cultivating crops but also hope, economic stability and food security.