Siphakeme .Mnindwa
Judith Phiri, Business Reporter
WITH Zimbabwe, like the rest of the world embracing climate-smart agriculture to mitigate the effects of climate change, the Pfumvudza/Intwasa initiative continues to enhance crop productivity in the face of adverse weather conditions.
The core principle of the initiative is conservation agriculture, which emphasises minimal soil disturbance, permanent soil cover and crop rotation. By prioritising these practices, the programme empowers farmers to maximise yields even in low and unpredictable rainfall areas.
Since its increased uptake driven by the Second Republic, Pfumvudza/Intwasa has been celebrated as a transformative tool for smallholder farmers, transitioning subsistence farming towards commercial viability due to its simplicity and effectiveness.
Highlighting the importance of adopting smart agriculture, Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development Permanent Secretary Professor Obert Jiri remarked that climate-proofing agriculture is essential at every level.
“In Southern Africa, including Zimbabwe, we anticipate being significantly affected by climate change, with rainfall expected to decrease by 10 percent — both in distribution and amount — by 2050 to 2080. Furthermore, our average temperatures are projected to rise by two degrees Celsius annually by 2050.
Thus, climate-proofing and the adoption of climate-smart technologies, particularly in agriculture — an especially vulnerable sector — is critical,” he said.
Prof Jiri noted that the Government is taking proactive steps to climate-proof agriculture at various levels. “At the household level, we are implementing climate-smart conservation agriculture technologies through the Pfumvudza/Intwasa programme.
This conservation agriculture technique aims to conserve the limited water that households receive, ensuring food security at the household level,” he explained.
Under the Pfumvudza/Intwasa initiative, farmers cultivate small plots of land utilising organic mulching, which helps conserve moisture and protects the soil from erosion. Unlike traditional farming methods, Pfumvudza/Intwasa employs smaller, more manageable plots that enable farmers to optimise resources, including water and fertilisers.
Experts estimate that an average household of four to six members consumes a bucket (20 kg) of maize meal weekly.
Using the potholing method, a farmer can sow two seeds per hole in 28 holes, yielding a total of 56 cobs, sufficient for one week of food.
With 52 rows potentially yielding an average of one tonne, a family of four to six typically consumes about half a tonne, ensuring food security. This approach allows farmers to save another half-tonne of maize for sale. By adopting this method, farmers can also irrigate their crops using a bucket, leading to a bumper harvest compared to planting maize on larger areas with inadequate resources, which might yield less than one bucket per hectare.
The Government supports this conservation agriculture approach by supplying inputs to Grain Marketing Board (GMB) depots, enabling farmers to capitalise on the expected La Niña rains during the 2024/25 summer cropping season for optimal harvests.
This season, the Government has set a target of 3,5 million rural and peri-urban households under the Pfumvudza/Intwasa programme.
Professor Jiri also emphasised the significance of converting water resources into production as a second level of climate-proofing agriculture.
“By focusing on irrigation, we are enhancing our production capabilities in both large-scale and commercial farming,” he remarked.
The goal is to decouple production from weather dependence.
Prof Jiri noted that the Government is advocating a dual approach — using the Pfumvudza/Intwasa program at the household level and irrigation at the national level to climate-proof Zimbabwe’s agricultural sector.
Additionally, he reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to developing dams alongside irrigation initiatives.
“In our 2025 budget, we have prioritised Lake Gwayi-Tshangani and Kunzvi Dam, among other projects. Our focus on dam construction is multi-pronged.
It covers diverse areas such as irrigation development, water reticulation, fisheries and hydroelectric power generation,” he added.
