The ManicaPost
Tendai Gukutikwa
Post Reporter
THE country recorded a significant decline in food insecurity since the inception of the Second Republic due to Government’s climate smart agriculture interventions, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Dr John Basera has said.
Speaking on behalf of Dr Basera during a two-day Zimbabwe Idai Recovery Project (ZIRP) workshop for farmers, Director of Veterinary Field Services, Dr Jairus Machagwa said food insecurity in the country declined by 21 percent in 2022.
The workshop, which was hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), was held in Nyanga.
Dr Basera said the decline in food insecurity is evidence that climate proof agriculture which was introduced by the Second Republic is the way to go.
“This shows that climate proofing builds resilience through conservation agriculture principles introduced by the Second Republic. Food insecurity which was at 59 percent in 2020 dropped to 38 percent in 2022, which is very remarkable.
“We hope that through climate proof agriculture, resilient and well transformed agri-food systems, we will achieve the goal of ensuring food security for all,” he said.
Dr Basera said the improvement is also seen in the Food Consumption Score which increased from 47 percent in 2020 to 57 percent in 2022.
He said in an effort to climate proof agricultural production and bring down food insecurity even further, his ministry is targeting to irrigate 350 000 hectares by 2025 ,up from 171 000 ha in 2020.
“Since 2020, Government has availed over US$2 billion from internal resource mobilisation for dam construction and irrigation development. Ten water projects are under construction and are at various stages of completion, with some of them being in Manicaland,” he said.
Dr Basera said a total of 18 000ha of irrigation land was developed, thus increasing the functional area under irrigation from 171 000ha in 2020 to 189 000ha in 2023.
He commended the implementation of the Zimbabwe Idai Recovery Project, which was a result of partnerships between Government and development partners.
“We need to reflect on the experiences and lessons learnt in the implementation of the Zimbabwe Idai Recovery Project, which supported 109 898 small-holder farmers that were affected by Cyclone Idai to transition from humanitarian assistance to self-sustaining agricultural households, thereby helping in the decline of food insecurity in the province and the nation at large,” said Dr Basera.
“We need resilient food systems to increase productivity and feed the increasing population of Zimbabwe, as well as create employment and reduce poverty,” said Dr Basera.
FAO Sub Regional Coordinator and Country Representative for Zimbabwe, Mr Patrice Talla commended Government’s thrust on sustainable agriculture as articulated in the Agriculture Transformation Strategy document.
Mr Talla said in line with Government’s thrust for food security, FAO, through ZIRP, supported 10 000 dryland cropping farmers with drought tolerant inputs as well as training.
“Under the mandate to restore agricultural crop production, 10 000 dry land cropping farmers were supported with drought tolerant inputs for field crops, capacity building and good agricultural practices,” he said.
