A HIGH‑LEVEL stakeholder workshop convened by WWF Zimbabwe last week mapped the next phase of the Time2Graze Programme, a sweeping, sustainable‑grazing initiative rolling out across eight WWF network countries.
Government officials, researchers and agricultural experts gathered to align on the programme’s vision, review lessons from on-going agro-ecology pilots and co‑design a concrete implementation roadmap for Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe’s rangelands cover roughly 70% of the country’s land area and support the livelihoods of over 1,2 million smallholder livestock farmers, while degradation, climate variability and over‑grazing have historically reduced pasture yields by up to 40% in some districts.
Andrew Chamisa, livestock research director in the Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Development ministry, hailed the project as a game‑changer for rural livelihoods.
“Time2Graze will bring life‑changing benefits to communities,” he said.
“Information generated will be cascaded for farmer use, boosting rangeland production and productivity while sustaining livestock numbers.
“We will also collect data to calculate GHG emissions (greenhouse‑gas emissions) with the ultimate aim of reducing them.
“The project will be driven by a multi‑stakeholder team, bringing diverse skills, knowledge and experience to the communities we serve.”
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The programme is funded by the Global Methane Hub and will equip farmers with digital tools that assess pasture availability, pinpointing the optimal moment to move livestock.
The tools include mobile‑based pasture meters and satellite‑derived biomass maps, which have already shown a 25% increase in grazing efficiency in pilot sites across east Africa.
The initiative builds on three seasons of agro-ecology demonstration trials run in partnership with the Agricultural and Rural Development Advisory Services and the Department of Research and Specialist Services.
Trials in Binga and at Matopos Research Station tested conservation agriculture, agro-forestry and soil‑fertility practices.
As the pilot phase wraps up, the lessons will be woven directly into Time2Graze, paving the way for scaling up sustainable land‑use solutions that balance food security with biodiversity conservation.
With climate‑smart grazing, Zimbabwe aims to increase livestock productivity by 15% while cutting greenhouse‑gas emissions from enteric fermentation by 10% over the next five years.
