HARARE, Jul. 21 (NewsDay Live) – The government has unveiled a six-point strategy to cushion Zimbabwe against a potential El Niño-induced drought during the 2026/27 agricultural season, amid warnings that global fertiliser supply disruptions could further threaten food security.
Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development Minister Anxious Jongwe Masuka said authorities were preparing for the worst as international weather models pointed to a high probability of El Niño conditions, with a clearer regional outlook expected after Southern African meteorologists meet in August.
“We now know that the magnitude of which we will only know after the Southern African meteorologists meet in August. But we must prepare now for the worst and hope for the best,” Masuka told journalists during a post-Cabinet media briefing on Tuesday.
He said the drought risk was being compounded by geopolitical tensions affecting global supply chains.
“But this is also compounded by the geopolitical development, as you can see, events in the Strait of Hormuz that will lead to disruption of fertiliser or fuel, and perhaps elevated prices of both fertiliser and fuel,” he said.
The government has responded with a six-pronged mitigation plan that includes expanding the Strategic Grain Reserve, accelerating climate-smart agriculture, increasing irrigation, promoting drought-tolerant crops, strengthening livestock support measures, enhancing agricultural financing and improving coordination across the sector.
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Masuka said authorities would accelerate grain purchases for the Strategic Grain Reserve while encouraging households to retain larger grain stocks.
The government will also prioritise grain collections under the Presidential Input Programme Gratitude system, in which beneficiaries of state-funded agricultural inputs contribute part of their harvest to community and national grain reserves.
To reduce dependence on rain-fed agriculture, the government plans to expand irrigation, targeting at least 75,000 hectares of irrigated maize production by mobilising infrastructure at Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (ARDA) estates, joint-venture commercial farms and existing irrigation schemes.
Climate adaptation measures will also include tailoring crop production to agro-ecological regions.
“That must be complemented by agro-ecological tailoring. What is grown by a farmer is determined by the region, not what they want,” Masuka said.
Farmers in Natural Regions III, IV and V will be encouraged to increase production of traditional grains, which are more resilient to drought than maize.
“But the encouragement is that those that are in Region 3, 4 and 5 must do more traditional grains. And we have seen an increase in the production of traditional grains,” he said.
The government is also developing a livestock drought mitigation programme, a new agricultural financing framework and contingency plans to facilitate grain imports by households and commercial operators if required.
Masuka said strengthening coordination among government agencies, farmers and agricultural extension officers would also be critical in mitigating the impact of a potentially poor rainfall season.
The strategy forms part of the 2026/27 Summer Crops, Horticulture, Fisheries and Livestock Plan, which aims to safeguard national food security against the threat of severe drought and rising input costs.