From Soil to Systems: How Zimbabwe is scaling innovation for food security and rural transformation
In rural Zimbabwe, where dry riverbeds once marked the end of each farming season, a silent agricultural revolution is underway. Solar-powered irrigation, satellite analytics, digital advisory tools, and science-based food safety solutions are redefining how smallholder farmers grow food, access markets, and build resilience. With support from the Government of Zimbabwe, the European Union (EU), the Fleming Fund, the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the AFC Land and Development Bank (AFC) and technical leadership and support from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), transformative innovations are moving from pilots to practice, reshaping lives and landscapes.
Unlocking Water: Turning dry riverbeds into lifelines
For years, farmers in semi-arid regions faced seasonal production due to drying dams and erratic rainfall. With support from the EU, solar-powered irrigation systems combined with sand-abstraction technology — which taps hidden water beneath dry riverbeds — are now restoring year-round agriculture. These systems reduce labour, save energy, conserve water, and significantly increase yields. “We used to watch our dam dry up every year. Now, we grow crops all year round,” shared David Ndou, Chairperson at Sivuli irrigation scheme.
Grounded in indigenous knowledge systems and enhanced by modern engineering, this approach demonstrates how local solutions integrated with technology can deliver climate resilience and commercial potential.
Digital Villages Initiative: Connecting farmers to the future
Innovation in Zimbabwe stretches beyond water systems. Through FAO’s Digital Villages initiative, rural farmers are gaining access to digital identities, geo-referenced advisory services, mobile market platforms, AI-enabled crop insights, and agricultural information systems. More than 5 000 farmers — especially women — have already benefited from digital literacy and service access, enabling them to make informed decisions and connect to markets.
Women farmers are actively investing in smartphones to participate more fully in digital agriculture. “We are seeing women buying smartphones because they now see direct value through better extension support and market access,” noted lead farmer Sheyi Kahushe. This shift marks a major step toward bridging rural digital divides and accelerating inclusive growth.
Satellite-Powered Insights: A new era of data-driven agrifood systems
FAO’s Earth Observation for Agricultural Statistics (EOSTAT) is helping Zimbabwe harness satellite data to generate timely, reliable crop and yield estimates, achieving over 80 percent accuracy. The system tracks droughts and floods in real time, strengthening early warning and enabling faster, evidence-based responses to protect food security.
The initiative is also building national capacity by training specialists from the Zimbabwe Space Agency, National University of Science and Technology, and other key institutions in advanced geospatial analysis.
According to Hillary Mugiyo, Early Warning Specialist in the Ministry’s Agricultural and Rural Development Advisory Services Directorate, “EOSTAT is modernizing agricultural monitoring through digital innovation and driving Zimbabwe’s shift toward data-driven, climate-smart agriculture.”
Financing Resilience: Seed Revolving Fund boosts wheat and maize production
To enhance efficiency, transparency, and accessibility in agriculture finance and input supply systems, FAO in partnership with AfDB and AFC Land Bank has introduced digital solutions into the loan management system. AFC now uses an e-voucher platform to enable farmers to access and receive inputs from suppliers, while the system tracks loan disbursement, repayment, and utilization in real time. This technology ensures that funds reach the intended beneficiaries quickly, reduces administrative delays, and allows both FAO and the AFC Land Bank to monitor progress and respond promptly to challenges. By combining digital loan management with traditional financing mechanisms, the programme is not only scaling production but also modernizing agricultural finance, making it more accountable, inclusive, and farmer friendly.
This support facilitated the cultivation of over 17 000 hectares of winter wheat and 72 000 hectares of maize under the Seed Revolving Fund; a milestone aligned with Zimbabwe’s efforts to achieve wheat self-sufficiency and enhance food security.
Safer Food Systems: Combating Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)
With support from the Fleming Fund and the AMR Multi-Partner Trust Fund, FAO is helping Zimbabwe modernize its food safety systems by rehabilitating 14 sentinel laboratories and promoting responsible antibiotic use in livestock production.
The upgraded labs now provide real-time data on resistant bacteria—helping detect outbreaks faster, guide treatment, and shape stronger health policies. Farmers, meanwhile, are adopting better hygiene, biosecurity, and animal care practices, reducing reliance on antibiotics.
These efforts are protecting consumers, safeguarding vital medicines, and reinforcing the One Health approach that connects human, animal, and environmental wellbeing. Paving the way for a safer, more resilient agrifood system.
Innovation in Action
“Innovation is more than an idea – it is action and collaboration that delivers impact,” said Tendai Munyokoveri, Assistant FAO Representative – Programmes. “In Zimbabwe, we are showcasing solutions that work, partnerships that deliver, and ideas that grow into meaningful change.”
From sand-abstracted water and solar power to satellite intelligence and mobile-enabled advisory services, Zimbabwe’s transformation demonstrates how integrated innovation can accelerate food systems resilience. With continued investment, public–private partnerships, and community-driven leadership, these solutions offer replicable pathways for climate-smart, digitally-enabled agriculture across Africa and beyond.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO): Regional Office for Africa.
