Tinotenda Hove- President Emmerson Mnangagwa has warned that Zimbabwe could face another difficult agricultural season as forecasts point to a high likelihood of below-normal rainfall linked to a possible Super El Niño phenomenon.

Speaking during the Zanu PF Women’s League National Assembly this week, Mnangagwa urged farmers to prepare for the expected dry conditions by shifting to crops that can better withstand drought, an acknowledgment of the growing climate risks confronting the country’s farming sector.

“I, therefore, urge us to plant early maturing and drought-resistant crops to bolster household food security,” he said.

His remarks come as weather experts predict a 90 percent chance of below-average rainfall across the region, raising fresh concerns about food production, rural livelihoods and the country’s ability to withstand another severe drought.

While the Government says it is implementing a summer cropping plan targeting 1.8 million hectares of maize and more than 500,000 hectares of traditional grains, the emphasis on drought mitigation highlights the scale of the challenge facing the agricultural sector.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development, Professor Obert Jiri, said authorities were pressing ahead with the Cabinet-approved programme despite the gloomy weather outlook.

“We now have the summer plan, which we are busy implementing. In terms of our summer programme, we are targeting 1.8 million hectares of maize and more than 500,000 hectares of traditional grains, together with other strategic crops that we normally produce,” he said.

He acknowledged the expected dry season, adding: “We know, of course, that there has been a focus on a drier-than-normal rainfall season coming.”

Professor Jiri said Government’s strategy includes strengthening the Strategic Grain Reserve, encouraging households to retain food stocks, promoting climate-smart agriculture and expanding irrigation where possible. Farmers are also being urged to grow traditional grains and adopt early-maturing seed varieties suited to their agro-ecological regions.

“The crop that is grown by the farmer must be dictated by the agro-ecological region,” he said. “Pfumvudza/Intwasa is key and becomes of paramount importance… We also want our farmers to use the correct seed variety, which is climate-smart.”

Despite assurances that funding mechanisms are in place through Government programmes, banks and private financiers, concerns remain over whether available resources will be sufficient to cushion farmers if the anticipated drought becomes severe.

“We have already put our farmers into the usual funding options, including private sector financing, Government-funded programmes, self-funded farmers, bank-funded farmers and other financing models,” Professor Jiri said.

Authorities are also focusing on protecting livestock through disease surveillance, vaccination, supplementary feeding and improved access to water during the expected dry spell.

In Matabeleland South, Agricultural and Rural Development Advisory Services (ARDAS) says water shortages remain one of the biggest threats facing communities and livestock.

“Water security is a priority because we want to ensure that animals have an adequate water supply. The ministry is drilling boreholes and solarising boreholes in every village,” said provincial director Mrs Shupikai Sibanda.

She added that drought mitigation centres are being established across the province while farmers are being encouraged to grow fodder crops to reduce livestock losses.
Meanwhile, Kutsaga Research says it is accelerating the development of tobacco varieties capable of surviving harsher climatic conditions.

Chief executive Dr Frank Magama said: “Looking ahead to the 2026/27 agricultural season, forecasts suggest an increased likelihood of dry conditions and periods of moisture stress in some production areas.”
He urged growers to adopt climate-smart farming methods, adding that newly developed tobacco varieties have shown greater resilience under drought conditions.

The growing focus on drought-resistant crops, climate-smart agriculture and emergency preparedness underscores mounting concern over the potential impact of another below-normal rainfall season on Zimbabwe’s agricultural output and food security.