Once a basket case, Zimbabwe now teaches Africa how to farm

ONCE dismissed as a basket case after tumbling from its status as a regional breadbasket in the wake of a chaotic land reform programme at the turn of the century, Zimbabwe is now attracting the attention of countries across Africa, especially in West Africa.

Over the past two months, Zimbabwe has hosted several agricultural delegations from west African countries, notably Nigeria, Ghana and Benin, eager to learn from the country's recent agricultural successes.

Their interest is hardly surprising.

According to the latest update on the 2025-26 summer crops marketing outlook and the 2026 winter production plan, Zimbabwe's food security prospects are positive.

"The projections indicate that Zimbabwe stands to realise a surplus strategic grain reserve ranging from 550 945 metric tonnes and 964 945 metric tonnes," a post-Cabinet statement released last week said.

"The results serve to confirm that Zimbabwe has made notable strides in national food security, transitioning from deficit to surplus in staple crops such as maize and wheat.

• Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
• Bulls to charge into Zimbabwe gold stocks
• Ndiraya concerned as goals dry up
• Letters: How solar power is transforming African farms

"According to the Global Report on Food Crises 2026, released on April 24, 2026, Zimbabwe is ranked 90th out of 136 assessed countries on the 2025 Global Hunger Index.

"Zimbabwe was removed from the list of hunger hotspot countries in 2024. This achievement comes against the backdrop of strategic interventions such as climate-smart agricultural programmes, particularly Pfumvudza/Intwasa, accelerated mechanisation and irrigation development."

These gains have sparked both curiosity and admiration.

The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), in collaboration with the Global Centre on Adaptation (GCA), recently organised a learning tour to Zimbabwe and Zambia under the African Development Bank-funded Special Agro-Processing Zones (SAPZ) Phase II initiative.

Commissioners responsible for agriculture, industry, trade and investment from Nigeria's Anambra, Ekiti and Niger states visited the two southern African countries to study practical models in seed systems and agro-processing that could support agricultural industrialisation in their respective states.

The IITA and GCA are implementing a technical assistance project under SAPZ Phase II in the three Nigerian states.

SAPZ is a Nigerian government-led initiative aimed at accelerating agricultural transformation, increasing rural household incomes, creating quality jobs — particularly for women and youths — and strengthening national food and nutrition security through inclusive and sustainable agro-industrialisation.

Central to this transformation is the development of efficient seed systems and competitive agro-processing industries.

In Zimbabwe, the delegation visited agricultural institutions and companies, including Seed Co, Valley Seeds, ART Farm and the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre (CIMMYT).

Officials who participated in the tour said the experience provided lessons that could help to improve agricultural productivity and food security in Nigeria.

IITA soil scientist and project manager Samuel Ayodele Mesele said the learning tour focused on understanding the entire agricultural value chain.

“We wanted to see how we can replicate some of the nice things that have been done in Zimbabwe and Zambia back at home so that we can actually improve food security.

“Nigeria actually has a huge potential in agriculture, in agro-processing. In Nigeria, as you know, we have over 250 million people. So, to have over 250 million people, it actually gives you an idea of how huge it is to actually feed.

“So, the potential is there, but of course, it's better when we learn from African nations so that we ensure that some of the solutions are homegrown, Africa-led and with African initiatives because the situations in a way are, somehow, comparable.”

The commissioners spoke glowingly about their experiences in Zimbabwe, pledging to implement some of the lessons learned.

Ekiti State Commissioner for Trade, Industry, Investment and Co-operatives, Omotayo Adeola, said 10 Nigerian states were establishing special agro-industrial processing zones to boost agricultural production, value addition and employment creation.

“It's been amazing what you guys have done in agriculture and a lot of learning points that we are taking note from your research, to the breeding, to the testing, to the demonstration farms, to the learning farms, to everything, being areas that have delighted us,” she said.

“Yes, we have someone that we can learn from in Africa, and we have a lot that we are taking back home.”

Niger State Commissioner for Industry, Trade and Investment, Aminu Takuma, said his state was implementing the SAPZ programme after a previous initiative, the Staple Crop Processing Zone project, failed to achieve its objectives.

He said the idea was to ensure that produce harvested by farmers is fully utilised through processing instead of being lost after harvest.

“Now, how do we ensure that the yield of what is harvested will be utilised properly in the processing flow or stage because of the investments that you're going to put in setting up the processing?”

He said Nigeria required about 350 000 metric tonnes of certain agricultural produce but was currently producing only 123 000 metric tonnes, leaving a significant supply gap.

“From what we have seen and learned, both in Zambia and Zimbabwe, I think by the time we get back, I have to work on the budget,” Takuma said.

Niger State Commissioner for Agriculture Isah Sidi Nijau described the visit as an eye-opener.

He said, "Nigeria is only beginning to make significant progress in agro-processing.

“If you compare what you have seen here and what is in Nigeria, we have a lot to do back home,” Nijau said.

Ekiti State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security Ebenezer Boluwade said one of the key lessons was southern Africa's robust seed management systems.

“So, the learning point for us is also to replicate some of the findings that we saw for the past five days with the one we spent in Zambia and the one we are sending,” he said.

“We believe that there are some of the things that we can also replicate in Nigeria, especially for thousands and millions of small-scale farmers, for them to move from, for example, maize.

“The average yield in Nigeria is about 2,5 tonnes per hectare, but here they have 12 or 13 tonnes. So, if you take all this technology to Nigeria, Ekiti State, for example, it will bring more work, job creation and more profit for a farmer.”

Valley Seeds production coordinator Daiton Mawira said such exchanges were important for strengthening agricultural co-operation across Africa.

“We are happy to learn that these guys have passed through Zambia. They also learned what other seed companies are doing in Zambia, even the government on that side,” he said.

“This kind of collaboration from west Africa to southern Africa creates that understanding of how we will also be doing business here in Zimbabwe.

“And we are so hopeful that these guys, when they return to west Africa, are going to implement maize seed production there.”

IITA crops project manager Dean Muungai said the next step would be for the commissioners to develop implementation plans based on the lessons learned.

“There is enthusiasm, there is energy and expectation from the states that we, as IITA, will continue to offer them continued support,” he said.

“So we draft the work plan. I think the key priority areas that we have are developing learning centres and also connecting them to potential seed companies that they can directly work with.”