Harare, (New Ziana) –The agricultural sector in Zimbabwe is undergoing a major transformation which is crucial in achieving the country’s vision of becoming an upper middle class society by 2030 as well as the National Development Strategy 2, a Cabinet Minister has said.
Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Minister Dr Anxious Masuka said this during the launch of key agricultural initiatives in Harare on Friday.
Masuka said agriculture, which supports the livelihoods of over 9.2 million Zimbabweans, should evolve from a subsistence model into a commercial and business-driven industry to lift rural communities out of poverty.
“It is agriculture done differently that must power them out of poverty towards Vision 2030,” he said.
“The transformation must be business focused, replacing outdated models with entrepreneurial thinking at household level.”
The government has launched several initiatives including the Agriculture Recovery Program, the Horticulture Growth and Recovery Plan, and the Agriculture and Food Systems Transformation Strategy.
“These programs aim to increase productivity, support rural industrialization, and grow the sector from a US$5.2 billion industry to US$8.2 billion by 2030,” said Masuka.
He expressed concern over the current structure of irrigation schemes, criticizing the continued reliance on outdated extension services and unqualified leadership, urging a shift toward business advisory services to improve efficiency and profitability.
“Our biggest failure has been not transforming our internal mindset,” he
said. “We need business advisors, not just extension officers, to help households see agriculture as a viable enterprise.”
Masuka also outlined government plans to invest in underutilized irrigation estates, of which only 2 500 are being irrigated, despite a capacity of 25 000 hectares.
A total of $29 billion has been allocated to develop these estates as production anchors, with additional support from the Agricultural Finance Corporation and the Grain Marketing Board (GMB).
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has allocated another US$21 million to revive 460 irrigation schemes, reaffirming the government’s conviction that agriculture is central to transforming rural livelihoods and the economy at large.
“This is not optional,” Masuka said. “It is agriculture that will transform the one million people in rural areas, we must run it as a business.”
With rural development at the heart of Zimbabwe’s long-term vision, the government is confident that modernizing the agricultural sector will not only boost production, but also ensure food sovereignty and economic resilience.
New Ziana
