Zimbabwe farm project lifts 188,000 households and boosts food security

The project promoted climate-smart agriculture across 153,000 hectares, supplying farmers with quality seeds, modern farming technologies and agricultural extension services.

More than 188,000 farming households across Zimbabwe have improved their food production and strengthened their resilience after a four-year agricultural programme transformed an emergency response into a long-term investment in the country's farming sector. Backed by US$25 million from the African Development Bank's Transitional Support Facility and implemented with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Zimbabwe Emergency Food Production Project expanded climate-smart farming, improved access to finance and helped farmers achieve stronger harvests.

Launched in 2022 during a period marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine conflict and global supply chain disruptions, the programme concluded on 30 June 2026 with results that are expected to shape Zimbabwe's future agricultural policies.

Climate-smart farming drives stronger harvests

The project promoted climate-smart agriculture across 153,000 hectares, supplying farmers with quality seeds, modern farming technologies and agricultural extension services. It also increased the production of drought-tolerant maize and sunflower seeds while contributing to average wheat yields of five tonnes per hectare, helping Zimbabwe achieve record wheat harvests.

Government officials said the programme moved beyond short-term emergency assistance by strengthening agricultural productivity and building more resilient farming systems that can better withstand future climate and economic shocks.

Access to finance empowers smallholder farmers

The Seed Revolving Fund, implemented through AFC Land and Development Bank, supported more than 90,957 farmers, including over 33,000 women, working in irrigation schemes and achieved a loan repayment rate exceeding 90 per cent, demonstrating the financial reliability of smallholder farmers.

The project also exceeded its original financing targets through a partial credit guarantee scheme managed by the Africa Fertiliser Financing Mechanism in partnership with the Fertiliser and Seeds Group. The initiative generated more than US$44 million in fertiliser sales above its initial target, distributing over 80,000 tonnes of fertiliser through private-sector partners and AFC.

Women accounted for 60 per cent of all programme beneficiaries, significantly exceeding the original target of 40 per cent and highlighting the growing role of women in Zimbabwe's agricultural transformation.

Digital services and modern equipment improve productivity

Alongside expanding access to finance, the programme modernised agricultural services through the IDEA farmer registry platform, creating a digital system that supports extension services and agricultural data management.

Farmers also received metal grain silos, threshers, moisture meters and oil-processing equipment to reduce post-harvest losses, while support for national seed institutions strengthened domestic seed production and reduced dependence on imports. FAO said the programme evolved into a broader effort to build more resilient, inclusive and market-oriented agrifood systems that deliver benefits well beyond emergency food assistance.

Lessons to guide Zimbabwe's future agriculture

The experience gained through the project is already shaping Zimbabwe's Agriculture, Food Systems and Rural Transformation Strategy 2 (2026–2030), which seeks to grow the country's agriculture sector to US$15.8 billion by 2030 and increase agriculture's contribution to the national economy to between 12 and 15 per cent of GDP.

The African Development Bank said the project's completion marks the beginning of the next stage of agricultural transformation, with lessons from four years of partnership expected to support stronger investment, improved food security and more resilient rural communities across Zimbabwe.