Matabeleland, Midlands farmers make strides in irrigated maize planting – herald

Doris Mpala Agriculture Correspondent

FARMERS in Matabeleland and the Midlands provinces have made significant progress in irrigated maize planting for the 2026/27 summer season, with thousands of hectares already under the grain crop.

According to the latest Agriculture Advisory and Rural Development Services (AARDS) report for October 26, Matabeleland South has planted 1 312 hectares, representing 33 percent of its 4 000-hectare target.

Matabeleland North has planted 340 hectares against a target of 1 400 hectares, achieving 21 percent of its provincial target as of last Friday.

In the province, communal farmers accounted for 200 hectares, A2 farmers 48 hectares, irrigation schemes 83 hectares and Village Business Units nine hectares.

In the Midlands, farmers have planted 1 005 hectares against a target of 7 600 hectares.

The three provinces are part of the national irrigated maize programme, which has so far seen 13 968 hectares planted against a national target of 80 000 hectares.

Other provinces have also recorded progress. Manicaland has planted 3 485 hectares, 35 percent of its 10 000-hectare target, while Masvingo leads nationally after planting 3 627 hectares,

representing 72 percent of its 4 000-hectare target. Mashonaland West planted 445 hectares,

Mashonaland Central 720 hectares and Mashonaland East 3 045 hectares.

The programme forms part of the Government’s strategy to increase cereal production through irrigation to ensure food and nutrition security, even under El Niño conditions.

Government has set a national target of 80 000 hectares under irrigated maize and has so far established 305 121 hectares of irrigation land.

Minister of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development, Dr Anxious Masuka,

recently said the Government had identified 112 000 hectares for irrigated maize this season, with the potential to produce about 550 000 tonnes of grain.

“This year alone we have done 67 000 hectares, the fastest in terms of irrigation development since 1980. The Government identified 112 000 hectares as available for maize irrigation this year, capable of producing somewhere in the region of 550 000 tonnes,” he said.

He said Zimbabwe is targeting 1,26 million tonnes of cereals during the drought-threatened season.

The push comes as the Meteorological Services Department has forecast below-normal rainfall, prompting the Government to intensify its six-pillar agricultural strategy anchored on climate-smart production.

The broader summer production plan identifies irrigation, reliable water supplies, fertiliser, seed, mechanisation and financing as key requirements.

At the household level, the Government is targeting one million hectares under Pfumvudza/Intwasa, translating to 16 million plots for three million rural beneficiaries. Each beneficiary is expected to establish at least three plots while adhering to conservation agriculture principles, including mulching, liming, application of organic matter and minimum soil disturbance, to qualify for Presidential inputs.

Source: Matabeleland, Midlands farmers make strides in irrigated maize planting – herald

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