By Johnson Siamachira
Harare, (New Ziana) — Seed Co Zimbabwe is using the 2026 Harare Agricultural Show to put early-maturing maize varieties and agronomic advice before farmers preparing for the 2026/27 cropping season, as climate change and variability continues to complicate rain-fed agriculture.
Seed Co public relations manager and head of agronomy Wendy Madzura said farmers needed to match seed varieties with their growing conditions, rainfall patterns and intended markets rather than rely on yield potential alone.
“Farmers need to understand the characteristics of each variety and select seed according to their environment, the length of their growing season and what they want to produce,” Madzura said.
The company is showcasing maize and vegetable seed varieties at its stand, where its agronomy team is providing information on variety selection and crop management.
Madzura said SC 419 and SC 449 were among the maize hybrids suited to farmers seeking shorter growing cycles.
“SC 419 is a very early-maturing hybrid that can reach physiological maturity in about 120 to 130 days, depending on altitude,” she said. “It is suited to farmers looking for a high-yielding variety with good standability, strong stay-green characteristics and good cob disease tolerance.”
SC 419 can produce up to about 14 tonnes per hectare under favourable conditions, according to Seed Co, while its large, white, hard-dent cobs have a shelling rate of more than 80 per cent.
Madzura said SC 449 offered a shorter maturity window, making it an option for farmers in areas where moisture availability was more constrained.
“SC 449 is an ultra-early variety, reaching maturity in about 90 days. This gives farmers an opportunity to escape drought and is also useful for green mealies,” she said.
Zimbabwe’s 2026/27 agricultural season comes as farmers face increasing rainfall variability and other climate-related production risks. The Food and Agriculture Organization(FAO) said in June that climate variability was likely to shape the coming season, prompting calls for stronger early preparedness and coordination. The 2026 agricultural show theme is Powering Growth: Where Agriculture, Technology and Commerce Converge.
Research also shows that rainfall timing, rather than total seasonal rainfall alone, can significantly affect maize productivity in Zimbabwe.
The country recorded a sharp recovery in maize production in 2025, with output reaching 1.82 million tonnes, nearly three times the drought-affected 2024 harvest, according to FAO.
Agricultural researchers have increasingly focused on varieties that combine yield with drought, heat, pest and disease tolerance. CIMMYT says Zimbabwe’s breeding programmes are working with farmers and extension services to test varieties under different production conditions.
Madzura said farmers should therefore consider agronomic characteristics alongside yield claims when buying seed.
“Good seed is important, but farmers also need the right agronomic practices, including appropriate plant populations, soil fertility management and timely planting,” she said.
It emerged Friday that most countries in the Southern Africa region, including Zimbabwe, were indeed facing an El Niño-induced drought in the 2026/7 period.
In a statement, the 33rd Southern African Climate Outlook Forum said much of the region was likely to receive below normal rainfall between October 2026 and March next year.
Normal to above normal rainfall would be experienced over most of the Democratic Republic of Congo, north-western Angola, northern Zambia, central Malawi, northern Mozambique and southern Tanzania.
Above normal rains would fall in eastern DRC, much of Tanzania, northern Malawi, northern Zambia and the Seychelles.
Temperatures would be above the long-term averages across the region.
The 2026 Harare Agricultural Show runs through August 29.
