Zimbabwe’s Agricultural Sector Targets Transformation Amid Regional Industrialisation Push
Zimbabwe’s agricultural sector is experiencing a surge of renewed momentum as the government unveils a comprehensive strategy to address longstanding challenges and unlock the country’s full agricultural and industrial potential.
This vision was articulated by the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Rural Development, Dr. Anxious Jongwe Masuka, during the 8th SADC Industrialisation Week held in Antananarivo, Madagascar.
Central to the government’s strategy is the 2024/2025 Crops, Horticulture, Fisheries, and Livestock Summer Plan, a US$1.6 billion initiative designed to dramatically increase agricultural output. The plan, which is being funded through a 40:60 government-private sector partnership, aims to boost cereal production from 750,000 metric tonnes to over 3.2 million tonnes. It also places significant emphasis on oilseed production, livestock, and fisheries development, with targets to increase milk production from 99.8 million litres to 115 million litres and expand the national beef and goat herds.
Dr. Masuka stated, “We are repositioning agriculture as a business and a key driver of economic growth. Our Summer Plan is not just about increasing output, but about building resilience, creating jobs, and ensuring food security for every Zimbabwean. With agriculture having already exceeded its US$8.2 billion target in 2021, we are now on track to reach US$13.75 billion by 2025. This underlines the sector’s growing role in our economy, where it contributes up to 18% of GDP and supports over 67% of the population.”
Zimbabwe’s agricultural sector has long grappled with structural challenges, including climate change, low productivity, limited access to finance, and the perception of agriculture as a subsistence activity. The government’s new approach seeks to address these head-on by capacitating extension officers, strengthening value chains, enhancing leadership, and encouraging greater public and private investment.
“Climate change is a reality we cannot ignore. Our focus on irrigation, seed systems, and mechanization is about future-proofing our agriculture. We are also working to ensure that farmers have access to finance and markets, and that agriculture is seen as a viable business for youth and women,” Dr. Masuka said.
Zimbabwe’s active participation in the 8th SADC Industrialisation Week reaffirms its commitment to regional integration, agro-processing, and sustainable industrialisation. The event, which brought together over 500 delegates from 24 countries, focused on advancing industrialisation, agricultural transformation, and energy transition for a resilient SADC region.
The country aims to become a regional agro-processing hub through investments in irrigation, seed systems, mechanization, and research. Inclusive rural industrialisation models are being promoted to empower youth and women, create jobs, and stimulate enterprise growth in farming communities. By strengthening regional agro-value chains and forging strategic partnerships, Zimbabwe is laying the foundation for its vision of attaining upper-middle-income status by 2030.
The private sector is playing a critical role in this transformation, contributing technical expertise, innovation, and investment across the agricultural value chain—from input supply to value addition and agro-processing. Regional cooperation and international partnerships, such as the Zimbabwe-Mozambique Agricultural Value Chain and Trade Development Project and EU-supported initiatives, are amplifying impact by enabling knowledge exchange, mobilizing funding, and expanding markets for Zimbabwean agricultural products.
Dr. Masuka noted, “We are seeing the fruits of public-private partnerships and regional cooperation. These collaborations are essential for scaling up our successes and ensuring that Zimbabwean agriculture is competitive on the regional and global stage.”
Successes from the land reform programme and targeted value chain initiatives are already visible in select areas, signaling strong potential for scalable impact. The government’s climate-proofed Pfumvudza/Intwasa Programme is set to support 3.5 million households, focusing on communal, A1, small-scale commercial, and peri-urban farmers.
However, challenges remain. The sector continues to face climate variability, financial constraints, and infrastructure deficits. The government is addressing these through improved irrigation, seed availability, and policy reforms to make 99-year leases more attractive for financing.
Looking ahead, Zimbabwe is calling on institutions of higher learning, research organizations, development agencies, and policy experts to support this momentum through research, capacity building, and innovation.
“As we move forward, we invite all stakeholders—academia, development partners, and the private sector—to join us in this journey. Together, we can position agriculture as the bedrock of national development and achieve our vision of industrial growth and food security,” added Dr. Masuka.
Key Facts:
– Agriculture contributes up to 18% of Zimbabwe’s GDP and supports over 67% of the population.
– The 2024/2025 Summer Plan targets a cereal output increase from 750,000 to over 3.2 million tonnes.
– The sector is projected to reach US$13.75 billion by 2025, up from US$8.2 billion in 2021.
– Zimbabwe is promoting regional integration and aims to become a regional agro-processing hub.
