2^ND EDITION OF  THE ZIMBABWE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR SURVEY REPORT 2019-2020  KEY INSIGHTS ON CROP PRODUCTION.

The GOVERNMENT need to  come up with deliberate policies to improve smallholder contribution to national output, which is currently on a downward trend with a 54 percent decline recorded in maize production during the 2019/20 season. Communal areas and small-scale farmers contribute towards 69 % of total maize output in the country.

According to Professor Gift Mugano, the lead researcher for the Zimbabwe Agricultural Society and Financial Gazette commissioned Zimbabwe Agricultural Sector Survey, one striking observation from the 2019 maize yield is that, on average, maize yield per hectare declined by about 54%. “On a farming sector basis, in 2019/20, A1, communal areas and small – scale farmers who constitute 69% of total maize output, recorded an average yield of 0.27 metric tonnes/ha down from an average yield of 0.478 metric tonnes/ha in 2018/19. Because of the significant contribution of these small – scale farmers, from a hectarage perspective, the fall in yield per hectare weighed down heavily national output.” Prof Mugano noted that over and above the effects of climate change, policy significantly contributes to poor output in the agricultural sector. Similar to a trend observed in the inaugural sector survey report, the provinces with the highest area under maize production do not contribute the highest output. Midlands province had the highest area under production at 21% but contributed 12% of the output while Mashonaland West at 18% area produced the highest output at 29%. “Seed is being distributed in the wrong provinces. Our recommendation is for government to place more emphasis in growing maize in Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland West and East provinces while more focus on traditional grains and livestock is placed in Midlands, Masvingo and Manicaland provinces.

This will result in significant increase in production for livestock and grains.