By Nothando Mathe
HARARE – Zimbabwe has seen a decline in marketed grain and oilseed production in 2024, with the impact of the El Niño-induced drought raising concerns about food security, according to a report presented to Cabinet by Agriculture Minister Anxious Masuka.
As of September 20, 2024, the country marketed 164,465 metric tonnes (mt) of grains and oilseeds, a steep drop from the 289,090 mt recorded at the same time in 2023. The report highlighted that irrigated maize contributed to the marginal maize decline, while sorghum, soya beans, and sunflowers were largely grown under dryland conditions, making them more vulnerable to the drought.
“The marginal decline in marketed maize indicates that this was largely irrigated maize whereas sorghum, soya bean, and sunflower were under dryland production and suffered from the El Niño-induced drought,” Information minister Jenfan Muswere said in a post-Cabinet briefing.
The government has turned to grain imports to meet the country’s food needs. To date, 39,698.88 mt of maize has been imported out of the expected 300,000 mt, which is expected to last until June 2025.
With the looming food shortages, the report indicates that the total food requirement to March 2025 will be between 427,408.54 mt and 464,608.54 mt. This is based on an estimated 7.5 kg to 8.5 kg of food per person per month. As food insecurity grows, Cabinet recommends maintaining the 7.5 kg/person/month ration and expanding the social welfare net beyond the current 6.2 million rural beneficiaries.
“Taking into consideration the possibility of increased requirements, as only 6.2 million of 9.2 million people in rural areas are receiving food under social welfare, it is recommended that the 7.5 kg/person/month be maintained and more people be enrolled as the need arises,” Muswere advised.
The country’s food security challenges are compounded by deteriorating water availability and grazing areas in drought-prone regions, with Natural Regions IV and V being the hardest hit. “Water availability and grazing areas continue to deteriorate on a daily basis particularly in Natural Regions IV and V. Out of the 1 035 wards in these regions, 959 rural wards are targeted for establishment of Ward Drought Mitigation Centres,” said Muswere. Cabinet added that government has deployed 35 drilling rigs to rural provinces for emergency water drilling programs and established Ward Drought Mitigation Centres to provide relief in affected areas.
The combination of reduced crop yields and reliance on imports paints a troubling picture for Zimbabwe’s food security outlook as the effects of El Niño continue to take their toll on agricultural production.
