Harare, (New Ziana) – The Zimbabwe government has restructured the Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (ARDA) into the primary food security agency, with an ambitious mandate to produce 850 000 metric tons of cereals annually, a Cabinet Minister has said.
Addressing the 20th post Cabinet media briefing in the capital on Tuesday, the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Dr Jenfan Muswere said the bold move positions ARDA as a cornerstone of national food security, with the goal of contributing 95 percent to the Strategic Grain Reserve (SGR).
“The Government of Zimbabwe remains confident about reaching a projected grain surplus of between 812 000 and 1.2 million metric tonnes for the current marketing season, and is providing resources to the Grain Marketing Board (GMB) to facilitate timely payments for grain deliveries by farmers,” he said.
He said to support increased grain intake, Muswere said the GMB has launched 1 804 mobile collection centres across all wards, simplifying delivery for farmers.
Muswere said the mobile centres also serve a dual purpose, namely creating localised grain reserves and allowing farmers who sold maize through the Zimbabwe Mercantile Exchange (ZMX) to purchase agricultural inputs using warehouse receipts.
He said grain marketing remains diversified, with farmers accessing multiple channels including the GMB, ZMX, as well as direct sales to agro-processors, adding that the Warehouse Receipt System is actively supporting the marketing ecosystem and has recorded the intake of 4 700 metric tons of cereals, oilseeds, and pulses to date.
Turning to other crops, Muswere said as of 3 July this year, approximately 17.3 million kilograms of cotton, valued at US$5.5 million, had been sold to six contractors.
He said tobacco sales reached 333.3 million kilograms as of 2 July, compared to the 223 million kilograms sold during the similar period last year, and, although the average price remained subdued at $3.35 per kilogram, the total value of sales surged to over US$1.12 billion, up from the US$766 million recorded in 2024.
Looking ahead, Muswere said government efforts are focused on ensuring robust winter cropping performance with relevant authorities monitoring critical productivity enablers to secure an anticipated harvest of 875 000 metric tons of wheat, barley, and potatoes for the 2025 season.
The transformation of ARDA, coupled with increased agricultural productivity and strategic grain management, signals a renewed push by the government to safeguard national food reserves and stabilize the agro-economy.
New Ziana
