Bulawayo, (New Ziana) — Climate change is the biggest threat to the country’s agricultural sector, increasing pressure to accelerate the development and distribution of drought-resistant crop seed varieties capable of withstanding erratic rainfall, heat waves and rising pest outbreaks, an official has said.
Speaking at the Zimbabwe Seed Business Summit and Seed Roadmap Workshop on Wednesday, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development, Professor Obert Jiri said resilient seed systems were now central to safeguarding national food security and sustaining agricultural productivity in the face of worsening climate shocks.
He said the country’s ambition to build a US$15.8 billion agricultural economy by 2030 depended heavily on farmers gaining wider access to certified climate-smart seed varieties that can adapt to changing weather patterns.
“Climate change is the greatest threat to agriculture today, hence the urgent need for drought-tolerant, heat-resistant and pest-resilient seed varieties capable of surviving harsh climatic conditions,” he said.
He noted that robust seed systems were critical in driving agricultural transformation by improving yields, strengthening disease resistance and supporting sustainable production systems.
Prof Jiri said despite recurrent droughts, Zimbabwe’s agricultural sector had grown from US$5,2 billion to US$10,3 billion under the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), demonstrating the impact of innovation and improved farming technologies.
He highlighted wheat production as one of the country’s major success stories, with output increasing from 175 000 tonnes in 2020 to more than 645 000 tonnes in 2025, largely due to improved seed systems and farmer support programmes.
“Strengthening seed systems would remain essential in building climate resilience and ensuring the country achieves long-term agricultural growth targets,” he said.
New Ziana
