Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa where it shares borders with Zambia to the north, Mozambique to the east, South Africa to the south, and Botswana and Namibia to the west. Its landscape is dived into four topographical zones, namely the lowveld with a relief of 300-600m; 600-1200m in the midlevel; 1200-2000m in the highveld and 200-2400 in the eastern highlands. The country has a total land area of 39 million hectares, of which 16.2 million ha is used for agricultural purposes: 4.1 million for crop production and 12.1 for permanent pastures. The climate in Zimbabwe is largely subtropical, characterized by a hot-dry spring from September to mid-November, hot-rainy summer from mid-November to March, and cool-dry winter from April to August. Annual average rainfall varies from 300mm in the lowveld to over 1000mm in the eastern highlands, with 65% of the country receiving an average of less than 500mm of rainfall annually.

The country frequently experiences severe droughts, often linked to the El Niño phenomenon, with the most recent drought occurring in the 2023/24 cropping season. Soil fertility is also a challenge in Zimbabwe, as 70% of the country’s soils are coarse sands of granite origin. Despite these difficult conditions, agriculture remains the mainstay of the country's economy, and is a source of livelihood for more than 60% of the adult population.

Zimbabwe - once the breadbasket of Southern Africa - is now a country whose agriculture is undergoing recovery after more than a decade of decline due to a combination of economic, political, infrastructural, and climate change-related factors. Vision 2030 - the country’s current development plan - places emphasis on agricultural recovery as one of its key pathways towards transforming Zimbabwe into an upper-middle-income economy by 2030, and since 2007 the Alliance has been a strong supporter of Zimbabwe’s agricultural recovery. The Alliance’s work there focuses on improving food and nutrition security as well as promoting environmental protection, climate resilience, and natural resource management.

Our Thematic Areas of Focus in Zimbabwe

The Alliance's work in Zimbabwe is conducted through these thematic areas of focus.

Agrobiodiversity

Multifunctional landscapes

Digital inclusion

Crops for nutrition and health

The Impact of our Work in Zimbabwe

Enhanced Seed Quality: Improved access to high-quality seeds has significantly increased agricultural productivity and resilience among smallholder farmers.
Climate-Smart Practices: The introduction of sustainable and climate-smart agricultural techniques has helped farmers adapt to climate change and improve crop yields.
Empowerment of Marginalized Groups: Initiatives focused on gender equity and youth inclusion have provided better opportunities and resources for marginalized groups, fostering a more inclusive agricultural sector.
Increased Food Security: Advanced farming practices and technologies have contributed to greater food security and improved nutritional outcomes for communities.
Economic Stability: By enhancing agricultural productivity and market access, these projects have supported the economic stability and growth of farming households.

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Milestones

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Launch of initiatives to improve seed quality, leading to the access of high-quality seeds to smallholder farmers
Implementation of climate-smart agricultural practices across extensive farmland, enhancing resilience to climate change
Conducting training programs on gender equity and youth inclusion, fostering a more inclusive agricultural community
Achieving a significant increase in food security metrics in targeted communities through the adoption of advanced farming practices
Securing partnerships with local markets, boosting the economic stability of farming households by improving market access and agricultural productivity

Projects and Flagship Initiatives

The Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT’s work in Zimbabwe focuses on improving agricultural resilience and productivity. By enhancing seed quality, promoting climate-smart practices, and empowering marginalized groups, the Alliance supports smallholder farmers in adapting to climate change and increasing their livelihoods.

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