Zimbabwe is moving to eliminate its agricultural import bill by US$2 billion through the launch of a transformative localisation strategy, a primary deliverable anchoring the upcoming National Agriculture Conference and Expo (NACE) 2026.

The conference, scheduled for September 24 and 25, is organised by the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development in partnership with the Agricultural Marketing Authority, Africa Economic Development Strategies and Buy Zimbabwe.

The high-level gathering will focus on twin strategic outputs designed to transform the national agricultural landscape.

Alongside the import substitution roadmap, stakeholders will develop a transformative strategy to position Zimbabwe as a regional food hub.

The policy thrust comes as the agricultural sector has grown significantly under the Agriculture, Food Systems and Rural Transformation Strategy 1 (AFSRTS), expanding its gross value from US$5,2 billion in 2019 to US$10,3 billion in 2024.

Recent performance highlights include record-breaking wheat harvests that surpassed national consumption requirements, an expansion in total irrigated land from 151 000 to 233 000 hectares, gains across the dairy and livestock value chains, and total cereal production reaching nearly 2,9 million tonnes.

Despite the operational gains, the sector remains exposed to climate shocks and structural bottlenecks, having contracted by an estimated 12% in 2024 following an El Niño-induced drought.

Persistent vulnerabilities such as low productivity, land degradation, limited access to commercial financing, weak value chain integration, and infrastructure deficits continue to impede sustained expansion.

To address these vulnerabilities under AFSRTS Phase 2 (2026–2030), the conference will serve as a structured interface between the public sector, commercial banks, private agribusinesses, development finance institutions, and smallholder farmer networks.

Key deliverables on the agenda include the formal presentation and validation of the State of the Agricultural Sector Study.

The event will convene stakeholders across 12 sub-sectors, including crop farming, livestock and dairy, agro-processing, irrigation systems, agri-tech and risk management.

Through evidence-based policy dialogues and structured B2B investment forums, the summit aims to unlock private capital, de-risk primary agriculture, and accelerate local agro-industrial dominance.