THE importance of the agriculture sector to the Zimbabwean economy and the citizens’ livelihoods cannot be overemphasised. According to the World Bank (2019), the agriculture sector contributes about 10% of the formal gross domestic product (GDP) in Zimbabwe.
It contributes over 40% of recorded national exports, 60% of raw materials to agro-industries and provides employment and income to over 60% of the population (FAO, 2020). Through its various policies and public pronouncements, the government has always alluded to the fact that agriculture is a strategic sector and key to the economic recovery programme.
The Zimbabwe Transitional Stabilisation Programme (TSP) projected that agriculture, mining, manufacturing will be key sectors to the projected economic growth of above 9% in 2020. The TSP further positioned agriculture as one of the key sectors which presented a “quick-win investment opportunities for realisation of self-sufficiency and food surpluses that will see the re-emergence of Zimbabwe as a major contributor to agricultural production and regional food security in the Southern Africa region and beyond”.
As part of supporting the agriculture sector, the GoZ, in conjunction with both domestic and foreign partners, has implemented several programmes in recent years. Against this backdrop, it is important that we understand the dynamics in the agriculture sector over the past few years and make inferences into the future, focussing mainly on impact of government support on production levels in the sector.
Agric support schemes assessment
Some of the agricultural government support programmes directly driven by the state in recent years include fast track land reform Programme (FTLRP), farm mechanisation programme, command agriculture scheme (which used to be called operation taguta/sisuthi), special agriculture production initiative (focussed on inputs supply and distribution chain), presidential input scheme, among others.
Earlier this year, the government entered into a US$58 million deal with the former Soviet republic of Belarus. The Belarus Facility includes a training of local farmers and farm implements. In June 2020, President Emmeson Mnangagwa launched the US$51-million John Deere Mechanisation Facility.
Sadly, these interventions have recorded limited success in boosting production in this sector. More so, in light of the adverse climatic conditions that have been experienced from the turn of the century, persistent droughts — an average of one in every three years, and cyclones that have ravaged parts of Southern Africa.
This has resulted in a net effect in food production index of a marginal 0,3% average increase from 2001 to 2016. This is comparatively low against neighbouring countries such as Mozambique and Zambia who have managed to increase food production by more than 4% over the same period.
