Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development Zim

16/09/2026

16/09/2026

NEWS: Wheat Harvest Begins on High Note as Zimbabwe Prepares for El Niño, Professor Jiri Urges Farmers to Remain Vigilant.

Zimbabwe has officially entered the 2026 wheat harvesting season, with Permanent Secretary Professor Dr. Obert Jiri saying harvesting is expected to intensify over the next three to four weeks as more of the crop dries and becomes ready for combining.

Speaking at Endbase Farm in Banket, Mashonaland West Province, Prof. Jiri said 293 combine harvesters are active and organised into wheat clusters for deployment where the crop is ready.

At Endbase Farm, Mr Dalu is harvesting 100 hectares of wheat, preparing another 100 hectares for maize, and baling wheat straw to feed his livestock herd of more than 400 and assist other livestock farmers. Prof. Jiri also encouraged him to pursue value addition, including producing bread for his community.

But as harvesting gathers momentum, Prof. Jiri urged farmers to remain on high alert for veld fires. Farmers should maintain fireguards and fire-fighting gangs, bale wheat straw quickly and remove it from fields. Wheat stover should not be burnt, it should be converted into stock feed.

As Zimbabwe prepares for anticipated El Niño conditions and drought risks, the message is: “harvest early, protect the crop, bale the stover, prepare for the next season and add value.”



Obert Jiri GMBdura Zimbabwe Public Service Commission Cde Anxious Jongwe Masuka Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa Ministry of Information, Publicity & Broadcasting Services Ardas Agritex Mudhumeni Mukuru Agricultural and Rural Development Authority fans The Herald-Zimbabwe Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) African Union

16/09/2026

Germany Backs African-Led CAADP Implementation as Zimbabwe Advances Agricultural Transformation

As Africa moves from the Kampala Declaration to practical implementation of the CAADP Strategy and Action Plan 2026–2035, Germany has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting an African-led process anchored on strong national ownership and measurable results for farmers.

Speaking at the 22nd CAADP Partnership Platform, Silke Stallkamp of the German Embassy in Addis Ababa stressed that continental commitments will have their greatest impact when countries domesticate them according to their own circumstances, capacities and priorities.

Her message carries particular relevance for Zimbabwe 🇿🇼, where the next phase of CAADP provides an opportunity to align continental ambitions with national efforts to transform agriculture, strengthen food security and build greater resilience to climate shocks.

For Zimbabwe, domestication is ultimately about ensuring that continental strategies translate into practical interventions that reach the farmer from climate-smart production and irrigation to mechanisation, value addition, stronger markets and resilient agri-food systems.
Stallkamp emphasised that Germany sees CAADP as a “genuinely African-led and African-owned process”, with development partners listening to national priorities and contributing expertise and resources where requested.

She highlighted Germany’s technical and research capabilities, as well as its agri-food business networks, which could facilitate partnerships, investment opportunities and mutually beneficial trade.

For Zimbabwe, this emphasis on ownership plus implementation is significant. It reinforces the importance of moving beyond commitments on paper towards measurable results across agricultural value chains, increasing productivity, strengthening farmer resilience, attracting investment and ensuring that agriculture continues to contribute to livelihoods and national development.

As CAADP 2026–2035 takes shape, the opportunity for Zimbabwe is therefore to localise the continental vision while advancing solutions suited to Zimbabwean farmers, agro-ecological conditions and development priorities.

The message from the Partnership Platform is clear: “Africa leads, countries domesticate, partners support and farmers must ultimately feel the difference.”



fans Obert Jiri African Union Cde Anxious Jongwe Masuka Professor Dr. Obert Jiri Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation -TAAT Zimbabwe Public Service Commission Vangelis Haritatos Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa ZBC News online Ministry of Information, Publicity & Broadcasting Services World Food Programme The Herald-Zimbabwe Ardas Agritex UNICEF Africa

15/09/2026

AU Commissioner Commends Minister Masuka at CAADP, Calls for Regional Agriculture Peer Learning.

Zimbabwe’s agricultural experience has attracted continental attention at the 22nd Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme Partnership Platform (CAADP-PP) and 1st Kampala Policy Learning Event (KAPLE) underway in Harare.

Addressing delegates, African Union Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment, H.E. Moses Vilakati, commended Minister of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development, Hon. Dr. Anxious Jongwe Masuka, after highlighting what he had observed of Zimbabwe’s agriculture sector.

Commissioner Vilakati said he was impressed by Zimbabwe’s agricultural experience and highlighted the country’s food production and strategic grain reserves. He called for greater peer-to-peer learning among Agriculture Ministers, proposing an engagement where experiences and lessons from Zimbabwe could be shared with counterparts.

The call comes as Africa begins implementing the Kampala Declaration and CAADP Strategy and Action Plan (2026–2035), shifting the continental conversation from policy commitments towards financing, implementation, accountability and measurable results.

Strategic grain reserves were among the lessons emphasised by the Commissioner, who warned of the vulnerability countries face when they do not maintain adequate grain stocks.

His remarks complemented Minister Masuka’s message at the official opening that Africa must move decisively from commitments to delivery.

The Commissioner broadened the challenge beyond Zimbabwe, noting that Africa continues to spend approximately US$100 billion annually importing food, despite possessing the land, water, knowledge and human resources to increase domestic production.

He urged African countries to invest more in farmers, irrigation, rural infrastructure, research and innovation, digital agriculture, climate resilience, youth enterprises and women-led businesses.

The message from Harare this week is increasingly clear: “Africa does not lack agricultural strategies. The task now is to learn from what works, mobilise investment, scale successful interventions and deliver measurable results for farmers.” As Commissioner Vilakati told delegates, “Africa does not need another decade of discussions. Africa needs a decade of implementation.”

📍 Harare, Zimbabwe | 22nd CAADP-PP & 1st KAPLE | 15-18 September 2026



Join the conversation: https://zoom.us/j/96072221970?pwd=xWJuHpjlyvEI5IK1BaKXc2jrTVvGrS.1

Professor Dr. Obert Jiri fans Agricultural and Rural Development Authority Mudhumeni Mukuru Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Ardas Agritex The Herald-Zimbabwe Ministry of Information, Publicity & Broadcasting Services World Food Programme ZBC News online Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa Vangelis Haritatos Obert Jiri Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development Zim GMBdura Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation -TAAT Zimbabwe Public Service Commission Cde Anxious Jongwe Masuka Hon Minister Tino Machakaire UNICEF Africa

15/09/2026

Minister Masuka: “Africa Must Move from Commitments to Delivery under Kampala CAADP Agenda.”

Africa has the strategies, the declarations and the ambition. The defining challenge now is delivery.”_said Dr. A.J. Masuka.

Speaking at the official opening of the 22nd Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme Partnership Platform (CAADP-PP) and the 1st Kampala Policy Learning Event (KAPLE) in Harare today, Minister of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development, Hon. Dr. Anxious Jongwe Masuka, called on African countries to translate the Kampala Declaration and CAADP Strategy and Action Plan (2026–2035) into measurable results.

For Zimbabwe, implementation is already being driven through the Agriculture, Food Systems and Rural Transformation Strategy 2 (AFSRTS 2: 2026–2030), which targets transforming agriculture into a US$15.8 billion industry by 2030.

But transformation requires investment.
Zimbabwe estimates that US$1.42 billion is required for priority agricultural value chains under AFSRTS 2, including approximately US$468 million for maize and US$403 million for soyabean. Government is therefore pursuing greater private-sector participation, innovative financing and public-private partnerships to mobilise the capital required for transformation.

The investment conversation becomes even more compelling when viewed from a continental perspective: Africa spends approximately US$100 billion every year importing food that the continent has significant potential to produce and trade itself.

Under the Kampala agenda, Africa is targeting a 45% increase in agrifood output, a 50% reduction in post-harvest losses, a tripling of intra-African agrifood trade and mobilisation of US$100 billion in investment by 2035.

For Zimbabwe, delivery will also mean expanding functional irrigation from 274,440 hectares in 2025 to 496,000 hectares by 2030, doubling grain storage capacity from 750,000 tonnes to 1.5 million tonnes, and targeting 3 million tonnes of maize production by 2030.
The message emerging from Harare is clear: Africa's next agricultural decade cannot be measured by the number of commitments made, but by the investments mobilised, projects implemented and results delivered to farmers and communities.

As Minister Masuka put it: “The roadmap is clear. The targets are set. The time for concerted, collective action is now.”

The question for policymakers, investors, financial institutions, development partners, agribusinesses and farmers is therefore: ‘How do we turn Africa's agricultural potential into bankable investment, stronger value chains, jobs and food security?’

The conversation is underway in Harare — and delivery must now match ambition.
📍 Harare, Zimbabwe | 15–18 September 2026

Follow on this Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/96072221970?pwd=xWJuHpjlyvEI5IK1BaKXc2jrTVvGrS.1

Or for more information: https://fsrp.africa



fans Professor Dr. Obert Jiri African Union Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation -TAAT Mudhumeni Mukuru Agricultural and Rural Development Authority Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) The Herald-Zimbabwe Ardas Agritex Ministry of Information, Publicity & Broadcasting Services World Food Programme Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa Vangelis Haritatos Obert Jiri Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development Zim ZBC News online Cde Anxious Jongwe Masuka Hon Minister Tino Machakaire UNICEF Africa GMBdura

15/09/2026

Empowering youth and women is key to building resilient agricultural systems!

We are excited to host the Value Addition Workshops, bringing together key partners, farmers, and entrepreneurs to unlock the potential of wheat value addition.

🌾Theme: Enhancing women and youth participation in Agri-preneurship through wheat value addition activities.

📅 9th – 24th September 2026
📍Rupike Innovation Platform
📍Jombe Innovation Platform
📍Nyava High School.

Join us as we work together to boost agricultural transformation, support agri-preneurs, and drive sustainable growth across the wheat value chain!



African Development Bank Group, Gates Foundation, CGIAR, ScalingforImpact Cgiar, Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development Zim, African Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services (AFAAS), CCARDESA, Farmers Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe Agricultural Society, Wuletaw Tadesse, Solomon Assefa Gizaw, The Herald-Zimbabwe,

15/09/2026

15/09/2026

, Everywhere Everyday!

fans Mudhumeni Mukuru Professor Dr. Obert Jiri Cde Anxious Jongwe Masuka Obert Jiri Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development Zim Agricultural and Rural Development Authority Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) The Herald-Zimbabwe Ardas Agritex Ministry of Information, Publicity & Broadcasting Services World Food Programme ZBC News online Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa Vangelis Haritatos Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation -TAAT UNICEF Africa African Union

https://www.facebook.com/share/1HN6YrPYdz/

15/09/2026

HAPPY 84th BIRTHDAY, YOUR EXCELLENCY!

Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development Zim wishes you, Your Excellency, good health and abundant wisdom as you lead the country to ensure perennial food security and sovereignty towards the cherished Vision 2030, of becoming a prosperous, empowered and upper middle income society.

MAKOKOROTO!

Professor Dr. Obert Jiri GMBdura Cde Anxious Jongwe Masuka Agricultural and Rural Development Authority fans Mudhumeni Mukuru Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) The Herald-Zimbabwe Ardas Agritex Ministry of Information, Publicity & Broadcasting Services ZBC News online Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa Vangelis Haritatos Obert Jiri Zimbabwe Public Service Commission Hon Minister Tino Machakaire ZANU PF Party