By Virginia Njovo
With the 2025–2026 farming season on the horizon, the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Dr. Anxious Jongwe Masuka, has called on farmers to embrace climate-proof agricultural practices. He stressed that Zimbabwe and the wider region are among the areas most severely impacted by climate change.
Minister Masuka spoke to TellZim News on the sidelines of the Zimbabwe Farmers’ Union (ZFU) 85th Annual Congress, held at Urban Lifestyles on October 24, 2025. He outlined several climate-adaptive techniques, such as Pfumvudza and water harvesting, as essential for building resilience.
“I encourage all farmers to practice climate-proof agriculture. Zimbabwe is heavily impacted by climate change, and we must adapt positively, especially since our economy is agro-based.
“There are several ways to implement climate-proof agriculture, such as Pfumvudza/Intwasa, which is currently practiced by the majority of farmers in Zimbabwe. Water harvesting is also an effective method of adapting to climate change, as its effects on agriculture are severe,” said Dr. Masuka.
The Minister also advised farmers to grow crops suited to their specific agro-ecological regions, using Masvingo as an example where small grains are better adapted than maize due to low and erratic rainfall.
“Masvingo has a high percentage of water resources in Zimbabwe, yet it often experiences droughts. This is mainly due to farmers insisting on planting maize instead of small grains, which are better suited to the soil type and rainfall patterns,” he added.
ZFU Secretary General, Paul Zakariya, echoed the Minister’s message, emphasizing the need for agro-ecological matching and crop insurance to cushion farmers against climate shocks.
“As ZFU, we encourage farmers to select crops that are suitable for their environments, which will improve yields. We also urge farmers to take out insurance so that in the event of a drought, they can continue farming in the next season,” said Zakariya.
However, Chiredzi ZFU Chairperson Simbarashe Mudzingwa raised pressing concerns about payment delays and market access, issues that continue to affect farmers’ livelihoods.
“I am one of the farmers in Chiredzi, Masvingo. We face challenges with delayed payments from those we supply. Sometimes, input suppliers disappear after delivery, leaving us stranded. For example, we currently have sunflowers that are losing value,” said Mudzingwa.
