The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Lands and Agriculture has commended the Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (ARDA)'s production model after witnessing what legislators described as impressive wheat production during a nationwide assessment of the country's agricultural performance.
The committee is touring ARDA farms across Zimbabwe to assess wheat and maize yields against production targets, evaluate the authority's contribution to the Government's Strategic Grain Reserve and examine measures being implemented to improve productivity.
Speaking after touring an ARDA-supported farming project in Mashonaland Central, Mutoko South legislator and committee member Isaac Tasikani said the authority's production model had delivered encouraging results that could be replicated nationwide to boost food production.
"We are here in Mashonaland Central as the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Lands and Agriculture to assess farming activities being undertaken through partnerships between farmers and ARDA," said Tasikani.
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"We have been impressed by the wheat crop being grown on approximately 200 hectares under irrigation. What stands out most is the comprehensive support that ARDA has provided to make this project a success."
Tasikani said the committee would recommend increased Government support for ARDA to enable the authority to extend similar assistance to more farmers across the country.
"When we return to Parliament, we will advocate for increased Government support for ARDA so that more farmers can access critical inputs and technical assistance similar to what we have witnessed here," he said.
He added that the committee wanted more farmers, particularly young people, to benefit from ARDA's production model, saying wider adoption would significantly improve national agricultural output.
"If replicated across the country, such partnerships would strengthen Zimbabwe's Strategic Grain Reserve, boost foreign currency earnings through agricultural exports and create employment opportunities, especially for young people. We will also advocate for more young farmers to be given opportunities to partner with ARDA so they can contribute meaningfully to national development," he said.
Tasikani expressed confidence that sustained investment in irrigation, mechanisation and farmer support would enable Zimbabwe to achieve food self-sufficiency by 2030.
ARDA Chief Executive Officer Tinotenda Mhiko said the authority was scaling up irrigation development to improve productivity and strengthen national food security.
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"Our vision is to expand irrigation to 25,000 hectares across ARDA estates by 2030. Increasing the irrigated area will enable us to raise productivity, improve climate resilience and ensure consistent production of strategic crops such as wheat and maize.
"This expansion will complement our production models, strengthen the Strategic Grain Reserve and create more opportunities for farmers to participate in commercial agriculture while contributing to Zimbabwe's food security objectives," said Mhiko.
ARDA Operations Director for Commercial Production Shingirai Jenah said the production model brings together large-scale farmers through structured joint ventures aimed at increasing national grain production.
Jenah said participating farmers are members of the Strategic Grain Reserve 200+ Club, one of ARDA's flagship programmes for farmers with at least 200 hectares of arable land.
"The Strategic Grain Reserve 200+ Club is an association of farmers with more than 200 hectares of land who have come together under a joint venture agreement with ARDA. Through this partnership, we are working collectively to increase grain production and contribute towards the country's Strategic Grain Reserve," he said.
The Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Lands and Agriculture is continuing nationwide inspections of ARDA farms to assess wheat and maize yield performance against production targets. Legislators are also evaluating whether ARDA's production model is making a meaningful contribution to the country's Strategic Grain Reserve while assessing interventions introduced to improve crop yields as Zimbabwe intensifies efforts to strengthen food security and build a climate-resilient agricultural sector.
