By Rawlings Kofi | Zimbabwe's agricultural sector is converging this week at the Harare Exhibition Park for the 2nd Agriculture Research and Extension Symposium, held under the theme "Transformative Agricultural Technologies Accelerating the Attainment of Vision 2030." The crucial event kicked off today with the official opening by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Prof. Dr. Obert Jiri, who delivered a compelling message on the indispensable role of innovation.
Addressing researchers, extension officers, farmers' unions, development partners, and representatives from government, academia, and the private sector, Prof. Jiri asserted that innovation is no longer merely desirable but a "mandatory" requirement for the progress and revitalization of Zimbabwe's agriculture. While the national vision of becoming an upper-middle-income economy by 2030 provides a guiding compass, he stated that realizing this and ensuring national food security hinges on the sector's ability to adapt and advance.
Prof. Jiri highlighted the significant challenges that necessitate this urgent focus on transformation. These include the persistent impacts of climate change, disruptions in agricultural supply chains, fragmentation within value chains, declining soil health, and the ongoing battle against pests and diseases. He stressed that research and innovation are fundamental keys to overcoming these hurdles and unlocking the sector's full potential, emphasizing that transformative technologies must become integral to the daily lives and practices of everyone involved in agriculture.
The Permanent Secretary pointed to the critical role of smallholder farmers, who form the backbone of Zimbabwe's food system. He illustrated the potential for technology to empower this crucial demographic with examples such as AI-driven applications for weather prediction or disease diagnosis (like EcoFarmer), and the promising results from IoT-enabled drip irrigation pilots showing significant water savings and yield increases. He also celebrated breakthroughs in biotechnology, such as drought-tolerant ZAP maize hybrids and biofortified crops like iron-rich sugar beans and Vitamin A-enhanced sweet potatoes, noting their successful adoption and positive impact on nutrition and food security.
The symposium itself serves as a vital platform for showcasing these and other advancements. Over the two main days of the event, researchers will present findings across a broad spectrum of thematic areas, including crops breeding, soil fertility, plant protection, livestock management, agricultural engineering, and the critical interface between research, extension, and policy. Drawn from the 165 abstracts submitted, these presentations – comprising 80 formal presentations and posters – aim to disseminate the latest knowledge and foster discussions on practical application and impact on the ground.
A key challenge underlined by Prof. Jiri is the significant "yield gap" between the potential yields demonstrated in research and those currently achieved by many farmers, particularly smallholders. He cited the disparity between potential maize yields of 10-20+ tons per hectare and the national average of less than a ton in many rural areas. He challenged the assembled scientists to focus their efforts on helping farmers bridge this gap, emphasizing that translating research findings into substantially increased productivity per hectare is crucial for national output and food security.
Prof. Jiri also articulated the vision for "Rural Development 8.0," which seeks to industrialize rural communities and boost incomes through localized value addition, moving beyond the current inefficiencies of transporting raw produce to urban centers for processing. He shared an anecdote of a farmer seeking to move closer to Harare's market for horticulture, illustrating the need to establish processing and marketing infrastructure directly within production areas. He urged researchers to help validate quality and facilitate this decentralized industrialization, ensuring that value remains within rural economies.
Addressing broader systemic issues, Prof. Jiri touched on funding constraints, advocating for leveraging diaspora investments and global climate finance opportunities. He noted the progress in land tenure security with the issuance of title deeds and urged stakeholders to capitalize on this to enhance agricultural production and access to finance. He also highlighted the need to effectively engage and utilize the potential of Zimbabwe's youthful population within the agricultural sector.
In his concluding remarks, Prof. Jiri presented a four-point call to action for accelerating agricultural transformation: enhancing policy synergy across education, extension, research, and modernization; mobilizing the private sector through PPPs to invest in farmer-centric technologies; promoting regional solidarity and learning from neighboring countries; and leveraging international CG centers for Zimbabwe's benefit. Echoing the powerful words of national hero Mbuya Nehanda, "Mafupa angu achamuka" (My bones shall rise), he interpreted this as a call to honor the legacy of ancestral agriculturalists by equipping today's farmers with modern tools and knowledge, thus building a prosperous Zimbabwe where agriculture thrives and rural communities flourish.
The symposium will continue over the next two days, with expected outcomes including enhanced knowledge sharing, stronger linkages between research and extension, and clearer priorities for future agricultural research and development efforts in Zimbabwe.
