By Maxwell Mapungwana
MARONDERA — As Zimbabwe heads into the 2026/27 agricultural season amid forecasts of a potentially strong El Niño, seed companies are stepping up preparations by making drought-tolerant and climate-smart crop varieties available to farmers.
The forthcoming farming season faces a severe threat of below-normal rainfall and dry conditions driven by a strongly projected El Niño event. Climate experts from the Southern African Development Community (SADC) through the SARCOF-33 outlook indicate an 88% to 94% chance of El Niño conditions developing.
In an interview on the sidelines of the ongoing Mashonaland East Agriculture Show, Valley Seeds agronomist Sandra Bhaiwa said the company is working to ensure farmers have access to a broad range of seed varieties suited to challenging weather conditions, as the country braces for the possibility of below-normal rainfall.
“As the rainy season approaches, we are working with farmers to ensure they are well prepared to start the season,” she said.
Bhaiwa said the threat of El Niño had prompted Valley Seeds to accelerate the distribution of seed to agricultural retail outlets, giving farmers an opportunity to choose crops that are better adapted to dry conditions.
“As we all know, a strong El Niño might affect us, so we are doing everything we can to get all the seed to the shops,” she said.
Among the varieties being promoted is PAN 53, a climate-smart maize variety which she said combines good yield potential with drought tolerance.
The company is also encouraging farmers to consider small grains and other crops that generally require less water, including red and white sorghum, pearl millet, cowpeas, groundnuts, sugar beans and sunflower varieties such as Sun Valley.
These crops, she said, could play an important role in helping farmers maintain production in an increasingly unpredictable climate.
“Sorghum uses less water and is very deep-rooted to extract as much water as possible,” she said.
She added that cowpeas, also known as African peas, possess characteristics that make them suitable for conditions with limited moisture. The crop can reduce excessive vegetative growth and channel more resources toward root development, helping it access available moisture.
Valley Seeds’ preparations come as farmers increasingly face the challenge of adapting their production systems to changing rainfall patterns and more frequent dry spells.
Bhaiwa said the company’s objective was to provide farmers with a diverse “basket” of crops so that they can select varieties according to their local conditions and the amount of rainfall they expect to receive.
“We are well prepared with a broad range of varieties to accommodate every farmer and to be ready for El Niño,” she said.
She also noted that many farmers had already received seed through the Presidential Input Programme, potentially giving them an important head start as they prepare their fields.
With rainfall becoming increasingly unpredictable, Bhaiwa urged farmers to make the most of every drop received during the season.
“We want to use every drop that we can get in this season,” she said.
The anticipated El Niño has once again put the spotlight on the need for farmers to move beyond reliance on conventional crops and embrace climate-smart agriculture.
For seed producers such as Valley Seeds, the message is clear: preparation, crop diversification and the use of drought-tolerant varieties will be critical if farmers are to protect yields and food security in the face of a potentially difficult agricultural season.
