Source: The Herald – Breaking news.
Chief director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Advisory Services (ARDAS), Mr Leonard Munamati, addresses stakeholders at the Winter Crop Revolution in Bulawayo yesterday. Zimpapers is hosting the event in collaboration with the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Development. 
Nqobile Bhebhe
Zimpapers Business Hub
Preparations for winter wheat production have been intensified by the Government to ensure that critical inputs are delivered to farmers on time.
Last year, the country achieved a historic national record-breaking wheat harvest of 563 961 tonnes, surpassing the previous year’s 467 000 tonnes.
This marked the highest wheat yield since the advent of commercial wheat farming in 1966, securing Zimbabwe’s wheat self-sufficiency for the third consecutive year.
Riding on this momentum, Zimbabwe seeks to leverage the upcoming winter cropping season to further expand its domestic output.
Speaking at the Winter Crop Revolution Conference in Bulawayo, which was hosted by the Zimpapers Group in partnership with the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries, and Rural Development, chief director in the ministry, Mr Leonard Munamati, said it was critical for the country to adequately prepare.
“The recent record-breaking wheat harvest of 563 961 tonnes, surpassing last year’s 467 000 tonnes against the national requirement of 360 000 tonnes, is a testament to our commitment to sustainable food production,” he said.
“The country has made remarkable strides in winter crop production, securing its place as a formidable agricultural force.
“Building on this success, the ministry, in collaboration with Zimpapers and other key stakeholders, now seeks to expand this achievement to potatoes, barley, and other vital winter crops in the upcoming 2025 planting season,” he said.
Mr Munamati said the consumption basket now largely includes potatoes, essential to Zimbabwe’s food security, offering nutritious and affordable food nationwide.
“As such, this conference serves as a platform to explore strategies to sustain our successes in wheat production while scaling up the cultivation of potatoes and other winter crops,” he said.
“Our collective goal is to increase wheat production to 600 000 tonnes this season by expanding the cultivated area to 120,000 ha and improving productivity from 4,7 t/ha to 5 t/ha.
“Various stakeholders, including ARDA estates, irrigation schemes, joint ventures with banks (AFC, CBZ Agro-Yield, NMB), PIP, self-financed farmers, and FCCA, are playing a crucial role in achieving this milestone.
“Additionally, our Wheat-Based Food Security Strategy aims to meet national wheat demand, generate surplus for export, and establish a strategic wheat reserve of 250 000 tonnes, as approved by the Cabinet.”
Mr Munamati said on barley production, the country was targeting 6 500 ha, with an estimated yield of six tonnes per hectare, translating to 39 000 tonnes.
Potato production is set to cover 8 750 ha, with an ambitious yield target of 27 t/ha, culminating in 236 250 tonnes.
“Achieving these production goals requires critical enablers, including a reliable power supply, with wheat production clusters ring-fencing 150 megawatts for winter cropping, adequate water resources, with ZINWA ensuring seasonal billing and efficient irrigation management.”
Access to essential inputs, such as high-quality seeds, fertilisers, fuel, and mechanisation, financial support, ensuring timely farmer payments, and adequate funding for expansion, enhanced security, infrastructure development, and land management is critical.
“More importantly, there is a need to strengthen partnerships among government, farmers, processors, academia, and industry stakeholders, which is the backbone for these enablers,” said Mr Munamati.
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