Zimbabwean farmers adopt drought-tolerant crops for resilience

Faced with recurring droughts, Zimbabwean smallholder farmers who largely rely on rain-fed agriculture are turning to drought-tolerant traditional crops to safeguard food supplies and strengthen resilience.

The shift was reflected at the Good Seed and Food Festival in Harare, Zimbabwe’s capital, on Saturday, where farmers showcased and exchanged seeds such as cowpeas, sorghum and millet.

Traditional crops have sustained communities for generations and are valued for their ability to perform under dry conditions, said Delmah Ndlovu, national chairperson of the Zimbabwe Smallholder Organic Farmers’ Forum, an organisation that seeks to improve smallholder livelihoods through sustainable ecological agriculture.

A farmer displays samples of beans at the Good Seed and Food Festival in Harare, Zimbabwe, on Sept. 19, 2026. (Photo by Tafara Mugwara/Xinhua)

Crop diversification should be viewed as an integrated farming system that enables farmers to become more self-sufficient, he said, encouraging farmers to diversify their crops to build resilience.

“Having different crops gives the farmer protection. When one fails, the other does well,” said Ndlovu, adding that growing a variety of beans and legumes helps farmers hedge against unpredictable weather conditions.

“We have traditional crops that provide farmers with leaves for relish, seeds for food and oil crops such as groundnuts and sunflowers for cooking oil and peanut butter. Some varieties mature quickly, while others take longer, giving farmers different options to meet their food and nutritional needs,” he said.

Visitors gather around an exhibition table to examine seeds at the Good Seed and Food Festival in Harare, Zimbabwe, on Sept. 19, 2026. (Photo by Tafara Mugwara/Xinhua)

Early-maturing seed varieties can help farmers cope with low rainfall, while late-maturing varieties are better suited to seasons with adequate rainfall, reducing the risk of total crop failure, Ndlovu added.

Zimbabwe’s 2026/2027 rainfall season is forecast to be influenced by El Nino, which will increase the likelihood of a below-normal rainfall season.

“We learnt that if we grow traditional seeds and practice water harvesting, we can make the most of the little water available. We will continue doing the same so that we can still harvest enough grain even when we do not receive much rainfall,” said Jenny Dube, a farmer from Chimanimani District, Manicaland Province.

A farmer pours grain from a woven basket into a cup at the Good Seed and Food Festival in Harare, Zimbabwe, on Sept. 19, 2026. (Photo by Tafara Mugwara/Xinhua)

Smallholder farmers account for 89% of agricultural producers, serving as the backbone of Zimbabwe’s food security, according to a United Nations Development Program report.

As key drivers of food production, smallholder farmers play a crucial role in national development, said Melamiseli Ncube, a farmer from Nkayi District in Matabeleland North Province.

The farmer said adequate preparation, including the use of drought-resistant seed varieties, can help farmers mitigate the effects of drought, even in worst-case scenarios.

“Last season, we had a good harvest. After hearing about the El Nino, we set aside pest-resistant grain such as millet and sorghum. These reserves can sustain our household for two seasons without getting grain from other areas,” he said. ■