Gardening

As the world’s eyes turned to Victoria Falls for the 15th Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands this July, a critical sector was notably absent from the main agenda: agriculture. Despite the conference’s ambitious theme, “Protecting Wetlands for Our Common Future,” and its focus on ecosystem balance, food security, and climate resilience, many Zimbabwean agriculturalists and environmentalists are voicing concern over the lack of direct agricultural representation and integration in wetland policy discussions.

Wetlands: The Lifeblood of Zimbabwean Agriculture

Zimbabwe’s wetlands, covering about 3% of the country’s land area, are vital for water purification, flood control, drought mitigation, and biodiversity. They are also the backbone of rural livelihoods, supporting communal farmers who supply food to urban markets and underpinning the nation’s nutrition security  .

Yet, these ecosystems are under siege. Urban expansion, agricultural encroachment, pollution, and climate change have led to the degradation of many wetlands. In Harare alone, 30 wetlands are at risk from illegal settlements, while across the country, wetlands are being drained for farming and development  .

 The Exclusion of Agriculture: A Missed Opportunity

At COP15, attended by over 3,000 delegates from 172 countries, the agenda prioritized wetland restoration, climate adaptation, and sustainable water management. However, agriculture—the sector most intimately linked to wetlands—was only addressed indirectly, mainly through the lens of food security.

This omission has drawn criticism from local experts. Ivan Craig, widely known as Mudhumeni Mukuru and chairperson of the Agricultural Rural Development Authority (ARDA), expressed disappointment:

“You can’t talk of wetlands without talking about agriculture. Wetlands are the source of our rivers, our water tables, and our food security. Farmers are both the beneficiaries and the stewards of these ecosystems. Excluding agriculture from the main agenda is a missed opportunity for true sustainability,” said Ivan Craig in an interview.

 Community-Led Wetland Reclamation: Success Stories and Lessons

Despite policy gaps, Zimbabwe has seen promising examples of community-driven wetland reclamation. In Hwange and Gutu, reclaimed wetlands have been fenced, planted with fruit trees, and managed by local communities. These projects have established irrigation schemes and fish farming initiatives, directly benefiting communal farmers and demonstrating the potential for agriculture and conservation to coexist .

Such projects, often supported by the Environmental Management Agency (EMA), highlight the importance of integrating local knowledge and agricultural needs into wetland management. EMA, operating under the Environmental Management Act, has spearheaded 92 wetland restoration projects nationwide, emphasizing community engagement and sustainable practices  .

The Double-Edged Sword: Agriculture as Both Threat and Solution

While agriculture depends on healthy wetlands, it is also a leading cause of wetland degradation. Unsustainable practices—such as tilling, overgrazing, unregulated irrigation, and excessive use of agrochemicals—can destroy wetland habitats, pollute water sources, and disrupt ecosystem balance  .

However, experts argue that with education and the adoption of sustainable practices, farmers can become powerful agents of restoration. Climate-smart agriculture, integrated land-use planning, and community-based conservation are among the strategies being promoted to harmonize food production with wetland protection  .

 Policy and the Path Forward

Zimbabwe has made strides with its National Wetland Policy and legal frameworks, but implementation remains a challenge due to limited coordination and enforcement . The exclusion of agriculture from high-level wetland discussions, as seen at COP15, risks undermining these efforts.

Zimbabwe’s agricultural sector is a powerhouse of diversity and potential, with farmers producing more than 130 different commodities across the country. Despite such hard work and  abundance of produce, many farmers remain trapped in cycles of frustration and financial insecurity. The root cause? A lack of ready markets and limited value addition, which leaves farmers unable to sell their produce at fair prices, forcing them to depend on government support, and exposing them to competition from imports. As the country stands at a crossroads in July 2025, the call for a market-driven transformation of agriculture has never been more urgent.

The Market Conundrum: Farmers Stuck with Produce

Across Zimbabwe, from the potato fields of Nyanga to the tomato farms of Mutoko, farmers are experiencing a paradox: bumper harvests but suppressed prices. For example, potato supplies have consistently exceeded 1,000 tonnes, yet prices remain stagnant at $2.00 to $2.50 per pocket, with traders making slim markups of just 50 cents. Tomatoes, another staple, are selling for $6 to $11 per box, but supply continues to outstrip demand, leading to gluts and price drops. Even high-value crops like onions and garlic face stiff competition from imports, particularly from South Africa, further depressing local prices.

The situation is similar for small grains, sweet potatoes, pumpkins, and a wide array of indigenous vegetables and herbs. Farmers are advised to hold onto their produce in hopes of better prices, but with low buying power, demand remains subdued. This has led to a scenario where farmers are unable to convert their hard work into ready income.

Economic Headwinds: Low Buying Power

The Case for Ready Markets and Value Addition

Experts and stakeholders agree that developing ready markets for agricultural commodities is the most effective way to empower farmers and break the cycle of dependency. By ensuring that farmers can sell whatever they produce at fair prices, Zimbabwe can unlock the full potential of its agricultural sector and reduce reliance on imports.

Value Addition: Turning Commodities into Wealth

One of the most promising strategies is to convert raw agricultural commodities into manufactured products. Value addition not only increases the shelf life and marketability of produce but also creates jobs and stimulates local economies. For example, small-scale processing of groundnuts into peanut butter, bottling of honey, and curing of tobacco are already taking place in some regions, but these efforts are often uncoordinated and lack scale .

Investing in food processing, packaging, and agro-industrial parks can help Zimbabwe move up the value chain, capturing more value domestically and opening up new export opportunities. This approach has been successful in countries like Ghana (cocoa processing) and Ethiopia (commodity exchanges), and could be adapted to Zimbabwe’s context .

Market Information Systems: Empowering Farmers with Data

Access to timely and accurate market information is critical. Platforms like eMkambo, developed by Knowledge Transfer Africa, provide real-time data on prices, demand trends, and potential buyers. However, digital literacy and the high cost of mobile communication remain barriers to widespread adoption  . Expanding these platforms and integrating them with mobile technology can help bridge the information gap and empower farmers to make informed decisions.

Policy and Infrastructure: The Role of Government and Partnerships

Government policies play a pivotal role in shaping the agricultural market landscape. While initiatives like the Command Agriculture Program and public-private partnerships have aimed to boost production and mechanization, more needs to be done to support market development and value addition . This includes:

– *Investing in rural infrastructure* (roads, storage, and processing facilities) to reduce post-harvest losses and improve market access.

– *Streamlining land tenure and financing* to encourage investment and enable farmers to use land as collateral .

– *Promoting cooperative models and aggregation* to help smallholder farmers pool resources and access larger markets, as seen in Kenya and Morocco .

– *Leveraging regional trade agreements* like the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to expand market access beyond Zimbabwe’s borders .

The Voice of the Market: Charles Dhewa of eMkambo

Charles Dhewa of eMkambo, has been at the forefront of advocating for market-driven solutions in Zimbabwean agriculture. He emphasizes the need for a holistic approach that goes beyond production:

> “It is not enough for farmers to simply produce more. Without ready markets and value addition, bumper harvests can quickly turn into financial losses. We must invest in market infrastructure, information systems, and value chains that empower farmers to capture more value from their hard work. Only then can we break the cycle of dependency and build a resilient, prosperous agricultural sector for Zimbabwe.” — Charles Dhewa.

Vegetables

– Covo: 75c per bundle

– Rape: 75c per bundle

– Tsunga: 75c per bundle

– Chomolia: $1 per bundle

– Cabbage (white): $1

– Spinach: $1 for 2 bundle

– Lettuce: $1 head each

– Parsley: $1 per bunch

– Cauliflower: $1 per bundle

-Okra $1 Packet and bucket $10

High-Value Crops

– Green pepper: $11per crate & $1 for 5

– Red & Yellow pepper: $15 per crate $1 for 4

– Fine beans: $15 per crate

-Cucumber: $8 per crate

-Pumpkin …………………….Unavailable

-English cucumber: $1each

-Butternut $6 for 8kgs-7 for 10kgs

– Horned cucumber: $3 per bucket

– Carrots: $1.50 per bundle

– Beetroot: $1 – $1.50 per bundle

– Onions (white, king): $12 per 10 kg pocket

– Fresh King Onion (red): $1for 6 to 10

-Fresh King Onion $ 1 for 8

– Onion (shallots): $1.5 per bundle

– Eggplant: $1.5 per

– Garlic (bulbs): $10 per kg

– Ginger (bulbs): $6 per kg

-Masamba 50c to $1 cup

– Cherry tomato: $10 per kg

– Tomatoes: $16 crate

– Maize corn: ……………………….Not Available

– Green Pumpkin/mapudzi: $1 or 50c

– Butternut: 8 kg $5 -10kgs $6 and $ for 4

Tubers

– Potatoes 15 kg pocket: Small$8- Large$10

– Sweet potatoes: $ 6-$7per 20L bucket

Dried Foods

– Matemba:$47-$56 per 20L

– Fish (small, dried): …………… Not Available

– Fish (big, dried): ……………….. Not Available

– Soya chunks: $2.8per 5kg packet

– Mufushwa munyemba: $12 per 20L bucket

– Mufushwa nyevhe: $28 per 20L bucket

– Mufushwa covo: $10 per 20L bucket

– Mufushwa mutsine: $14 per 20L bucket

– Mufushwa derere remashizha: $10per 20L bucket

-Mufushwa Howa nhedzi: $12-16 per 20L bucket

-Mufushwa wehowa zheveyambuya $20 bucket

-Mafushe echibage $15 bucket

-Masamba makoni,masivanda tea $12 bucket

-Dried nyimo $40

Nyemba $30 per buckect

Poultry

– Chicken (broilers): $5 -$6 each

-Mother broilers $7-$10

– Indigenous chicken (hen): $8 each

– Indigenous (cocks): $9 each

– Iso brown: $8 each

– Turkey: $15 each

– Ducks: $10-$15 each

-Off layer 5

-Eggs medium $4.2 ,large $4.5 crate

Fruits

– Apples: $25 per large box

-Naarjies : $10 for 10kgs

-Naarjies :$ for 6 to 12

-Avocado: $13 crate $ for 3 or 5

– Pears: $2.75 per kg, $19 per box

– Plums: $18 Box

– Grapes: $20 per box, $2.5 per satchet

– Small berryfinger leaf/ tsubvu: $5-6 per 20L bucket

– Pineapples: $0.75 -$1 each

– Oranges: $5-per 10kg packet

-Lemons $ for 10

-Nhunguru $ for 2 cup

– Bananas: $12-13 per crate

– Mawuyu (shelled): $8 per 20L bucket

– Nyiii: $12per 20L bucket

-Tsvubvu $8 bucket

-Nzvirimombe $8 bucket

-Guava $4bucket

-Huchi $3 bottle

-Masau $8 bucket

-Matohwe $10 bucket

Grain

– Fresh groundnuts/nzungu: $10-$12 per 20L bucket

-Dried Groundnuts $12 buckect

-Shelled ground nuts $36 to $40 per bucket

-Nyemba $10 bucket

– FreshBambara groundnuts/Nyimo: $10-$12 bucket

-Dried Bambara groundnuts/Nyimo :$40

– White maize: $7 -8 per 20L bucket

– Yellow maize: $5 per 20L bucket

– Mhunga: $14per 20L bucket

– Rukweza/ Finger millet: $40 per 20L bucket

-Rice yechivanhu $20 bucket

-Sunflower $5 bucket

-Wheat bucket $12 bucket

-Beans bucket $40

-BeansNua 45 $40bucket

-White Sorghum $10 bucket

-Soya $8-$12 for bucket

-Watermelon $1 each

Tomatoes 🍅$15 box
Cabbages $1 per head
Beans $30 bucket
Green pepper $12
Red and yellow pepper$22
Cucumber $20
Fine beans$15
Eggplant ❌
Garlic $4.50 kg
Ginger $4.50kg
Rape $1 for 4
Covo$1 for4
Tsunga$1for 4
Spinach $1 for2
Lettuce $1
Cauliflower $4kg
Derere$5 bucket
Muboora $❌
Mutsine $9 bucket
Manhanga $2.50 each
Mapudzi ❌
Potatoes $11 pocket
Sweet potatoes $5/bucket
Magogoya$1 for4
Nzungu $6
Nyemba $9
Nyimo$7
Fresh maize $1 for6
Sugar cane$1 for 4
Banana $12/crate
Avocado $1for6
Narjies $1 for25
Tsvubvu $5
Orange $4
Apples $20 box
Lemon$1 for 15
Rukweza $20
MUPUNGA $42
Mhunga$8
Mapfunde $6
Sunflower $8
Chibage $6
Butternut $20
Watermelon ❌
Peanut butter $10
Poultry feed $6
Chicken $6
Tsuro $6
HARUGWA $45/bucket
Madora$85/bucket
Magandari $45/bucket
Matemba $300/50kg

Seed selection and post-harvest management are not separate chapters they’re a single, continuous strategy of precision, protection, and profitability.

Choosing regionally adapted, genetically resilient seed ensures not just a strong yield, but a crop that dries fast, stores well, and stands firm against pests and spoilage.

Hard, vitreous grains with tight pericarps resist mechanical damage and weevil entry, drying quickly and reducing post-harvest loss.

When paired with good agricultural practices like proper drying, grading, and hermetic storage, these genetic advantages protect both grain quality and household income.

Sugar beans nua 45 $30 bucket
Sugar beans bonda wa ponda $30 bucket
Michgan beans $25 bucket

Avocado’s $4 bucket
Lemon $3 bucket

Dried cabbages $1packet 500g
Dried mushrooms $1packet 500g
Dried munyemba $1packet 500g
Dried tsunga $1packet 500g
Dried black jack $1packet 500g

Garlic. $1packet 500g

Baobab coffee $1 bottle 500g
Baobab powder $1packet 150g
Moringa powder $1packet
Zumbani. $1packet 150g
Mubvee powder $5 500g bottle

Hupfu hwe mapfunde $1packet 500g
Chimera che mapfunde $1packet 500g

Chillies $1packet

Honey bottled $1 150g
Honey bottled $3 500g
Honey wax $3 500g
Honey wax $10 1kg

Kenyan croton nursery tree $1each
Mutohwe nursery tree $1each
Mango nursery tree $1each
Paw Paw nursery tree $1each
Avocado’s nursery tree $2each
Musau nursery tree $1each

Granadilla nursery tree $2 each
Hwiziya bee forage tree $2 each
Coral vine bee forage nursery tree $2 each

Juranda nursery tree $1each

Black sandak $12 each empty one’s

Liquid fertiliser 5litres $20 each

Poultry
Hanga $3 $4, $5 and$10

*Vegetables*🥬🥦
– Covo: $1 for 2 bundles
– Rape: $1 for 2 bundles
– Tsunga: $1 for 2 bundles
– Chomolia: $1 per bundle
– Cabbage (white): $1
– Spinach: $1per bundle
– Lettuce: $1 each
– Marrow: $10 per 20L bucket
– Coriander: $0.60 per bunch
– Parsley: $0.80 per bunch
– Cauliflower: $2.50 per kg
– Okra (fresh): $10 per 20L bucket or $2 per tin
– Okra leaf (derere remashizha): ❌❌
– Pumpkin leaves (Muboora): ❌❌Unavailable
– Mushroom (fresh) : ❌❌
– Cowpeas leaves (Munyemba): ❌❌Unavailable
_❌❌Unavailable_
– African Spider leaves (Nyevhe)
– Mutsine (Black jack)
– Amaranth (Imbuya/Mudongi)

*High-Value Crops*
– Green pepper: $12 per crate & $1 for 5
– Red & Yellow pepper: $15 per crate $1 for 4
– Fine beans: $15 per crate
– Cucumber: $12- $15 per crate
– Eng cucumber: $1.50 each
– Horned cucumber: $1 for 12
– Carrots: $1.50 per bundle
– Beetroot: $1 – $2 per bundle
– Onions (white, king): $10 – $12 per 10 kg pocket
– Onion (red, king): $12 – $15 per 10 kg pocket
– Onion (shallots): $1.50 per bundle
– Eggplant: $1.5 per kg
– Chilli pepper: $3 per kg
– Garlic (bulbs): $8 per kg
– Ginger (bulbs): $6 per kg
– Cherry tomato: $8 per kg
– Tomatoes: medium size $8 – 11, large $12 – $15 crate
– Maize corn: $4 per dozen
– Green Pumpkin/mapudzi: $1 for 6
– Wild melon/ mashamba: $1-$2
– Butternut: 10 kg $6

*Tubers*
– Potatoes 15 kg pocket: $12.5
– Potatoes 10kg pocket: $8.5
– Sweet potatoes: $ 10 – $15 per 20L bucket

*Dried Foods*
– Matemba: $50 per 20L bucket
– Madora/Macimbi/Mopane worms (dried): $75 per 20L bucket & $1/20 rand per cup
– Fish (small, dried): $2 for 5
– Fish (big, dried): $8 for 4
– Soya chunks: $3 per 5kg packet
– Impwa: 1 rand – 5 rand
– Nzimbe/ Sugarcane: 5 rand
– Mufushwa munyemba: $6 per 20L bucket
– Mufushwa nyevhe: $12 per 20L bucket
– Mufushwa covo: $10 per 20L bucket
– Mufushwa mutsine: $10 per 20L bucket
– Mufushwa derere remashizha: $8 per 20L bucket

*Poultry*
– Chicken (broilers): $6
– Indigenous chicken (hen): $8
– Indigenous (cocks): $9
– Iso brown: $8
– Turkey: $15
– Ducks: $25
– Guinea Fowls (Hanga): $10
– Rabbit: $6

*Fruits*
– Apples: $25 per large box
– Umviyo: 10 rand per cup
– Pears: $2.70 per kg, $18 per box
– Plums: $18 Box
– Grapes: $20 per box, $2.5 per satchet
– Small berryfinger leaf/ tsubvu: $5-6 per 20L bucket
– Pineapples: $1.5 each
– Oranges: $6.5 per 10kg packet
– Zunga: $1.50
– Bananas: $12 per crate
– Mawuyu (shelled): $6 per 20L bucket
– Dried Nyiii: $10 per 20L bucket

❌❌Unavailable❌❌
– Mango (big)✅
– Mango (sweet)✅
– Mugwadi✅
– Emkemeswane/Matamba✅
– Matofi✅
– Udlawuzo/Shumha✅

*Grain*
– Fresh groundnuts/nzungu: $8-$10 per 20L bucket
– Bambara groundnuts/Nyimo: $7-$10
– White maize: $8 per 20L bucket
– Yellow maize: $9 per 20L bucket
– Sorghum/Mhunga: $8-$10 per 20L bucket
– Rukweza/ Finger millet: $40 per 20L bucket

Staff writer

Irrigation has the potential to change the prospects of agriculture in Zimbabwe as the government aims to expand land under irrigation to 350,000 hectares through the Accelerated Irrigation Rehabilitation Development Plan.

This expansion comes as a response and as part of a broader efforts to climate-proof agriculture and improve food security in the country.

Speaking during an interview in Bulawayo recently Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Permanent Secretary Professor Obert Jiri highlighted that the agriculture industry is growing and there is need to transform it to be able to respond to current challenges.

“The agriculture industry In Zimbabwe is growing and we must transform it to be able to respond to current challenges particularly climate change, change in diets and consumption patterns.”

This transformation for it to be successful it calls for agriculture to be treated as a business from household level and pushes government to explore means of harnessing water and putting up irrigation schemes along main water bodies.

“In order to have food security, enough nutrition and to improve livelihoods we need to respond to these challenges at household level where we must climate proof and ensure that each household is empowered to be able to have agriculture as a business.

“At national level we must have full investments on irrigation that’s why we have put a special focus on irrigation and development ensuring that our water bodies are connected to the production points which utilises it,” he added.

Government is making sure that every dam project has a running irrigation scheme and where there is no dam but enough water for irrigation, boreholes are being sunk and water is harnessed so as to make sure that transformation and food security becomes not only a dream but reality.