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With the rainy season fast-approaching, the Government, farmers and other stakeholders are putting their systems together for what we pray will be a successful season.

The 2023-24 harvest was poor due to a drought.  Farmers only harvested 750 000 tonnes of cereals, which was too little to feed the nation until the next harvest. As a result, the Government declared the drought a state of disaster and appealed for food aid to enable some of our people to get by.  It has been challenging for the vulnerable among us since March but the Government and its partners have done very well, making sure that everyone is well fed.  

The 2024-25 season is our opportunity for a big harvest and a respite.

Meteorologists have already predicted normal to above-normal rainfall.  Encouraged by this positive forecast, the Government is confident that we will harvest 3,3 million tonnes of cereals. 

President Mnangagwa recently launched the Pfumvudza/Intwasa small-scale farming scheme.  Distribution of inputs under the scheme is ongoing across the country.  By Tuesday, 91 percent of the targeted 9,5million plots had been prepared by 86 percent of the targeted 3,5 million households.  

The National Enhanced Agricultural Productivity Scheme will establish a total of 52 500 hectares under maize, soya bean, traditional grains and sunflower, with a target to produce 256 000 metric tonnes.

The private sector has committed to funding 95  046 hectares of maize, soya beans, potatoes, sugar beans, and sunflower while the Agricultural and Rural Development Authority will plant 100 000 hectares of maize and 50 000 hectares of traditional grains. 

The private sector also aims to support 418 800 cotton farmers to plant 270 000 hectares of cotton, while the tobacco production target for the 2024/2025 season is set at 300 million kilogrammes.  

We are hopeful that suppliers of inputs are ready to deliver as well so that self-funding farmers as well as the private companies which are supporting farmers will be able to buy all the inputs they need, at the right price and on time.

We urge farmers and those who are supporting them to finish up their land preparation, mobilisation of inputs and everything that has to be put in place so that as soon as the effective rains fall, they get down to work.  

However, as the season progresses, we implore our farmers to be always on the lookout for pest and disease infestations.  

If they spot any, they must immediately take action, whether it is them using their resources to control the pests and or diseases or alerting the Agriculture and Rural Development Advisory Services in case of notifiable pests and diseases.  

We are confident that considering the amount of work that has been put in and the positive forecast of normal to above-normal rainfall, the country will meet, even exceed the 3,3 million cereal and 300 million kg tobacco targetsand other summer crops come harvest time in March next year.