The Government has approved the 2026–2027 Summer Crops, Horticulture, Fisheries and Livestock Production Plan as part of efforts to strengthen food security in the face of growing climate-related challenges and rising agricultural production costs.
Speaking during last week’s post-Cabinet briefing, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Zhemu Soda said the plan was adopted by Cabinet following a presentation by Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, who chairs the Cabinet Committee on Food Security and Nutrition.
Soda said the programme is designed to ensure a stable supply of food across the country despite mounting pressures on the agricultural sector.
He said that these challenges include increasingly frequent climate shocks and the threat of a severe drought linked to a possible Super El Niño weather pattern, which experts estimate carries an 80 per cent probability.
“The 2026-2027 Summer Production Plan seeks to guarantee national food security against the backdrop of unprecedented compound pressures, including the 80 per cent probability of a Super El Niño-induced drought and heightened fuel and fertiliser prices,” said Soda.
Soda said the Cabinet approved a wide-ranging package of measures aimed at strengthening food security, improving climate resilience and boosting agricultural productivity ahead of the 2026–27 farming season.
A key component of the plan is the enhancement of the Strategic Grain Reserve through improved grain procurement, storage and distribution systems.
He said the government will also deploy artificial intelligence-powered silo management technology to improve grain handling, stock monitoring and reserve management.
To mitigate the impact of climate change, the Cabinet resolved to accelerate climate-smart agriculture initiatives, including the expansion of irrigation infrastructure, improved agro-ecological planning and better targeting of beneficiaries under the Presidential Inputs Programme.
The government will also strengthen early warning and advisory systems to improve preparedness for droughts and other climate-related shocks, while expanding farmer education and agricultural extension services to boost productivity at the grassroots level.
In addition, Soda said, the Sable Chemicals ammonium plant project will be fast-tracked to improve fertiliser availability, while Zimbabwe will activate the Africa Risk Capacity sovereign insurance facility to cushion the country against drought-related losses.
The Cabinet also approved measures to facilitate the duty-free importation of fertiliser to ensure adequate and affordable supplies ahead of the planting season.
More: The Herald
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