A crippling drought linked to El Niño’s erratic weather patterns, has decimated maize crops, leading to a projected 70% drop in harvest compared to last season, according to the Ministry of Agriculture.
The Ministry predicts a meager 696,116 tonnes of maize this year, a stark contrast to the 2.3 million tonnes anticipated in 2023. This would mark the worst harvest since 2016, when the country only managed 512,000 tonnes.
The report cites a 12% decline in maize planting area this season as farmers, particularly in the traditionally high-yielding provinces of Mashonaland West and Mashonaland East, were discouraged by low rainfall.
These regions, along with Matabeleland North which saw a 30% decrease in planted maize, have been particularly hard hit by El Niño’s impact.
Despite a stockpile of 145,604 tonnes of maize from last year, the country faces a significant shortfall. Zimbabwe requires 1.8 million tonnes for food security and another 400,000 tonnes for animal feed.
To bridge this gap, the Ministry suggests the government import 318,723 tonnes, while allowing the private sector to import additional quantities as needed.
“The Government should aim to close the gap of 318,723 tonnes while the private sector can import as much as they want.
“Combining maize, traditional grains and wheat, the strategic grain reserve is 434,293 tonnes excluding the Russia donation to the President of 25,000 tonnes,” the Ministry reports.
The Ministry’s report acknowledges a strategic grain reserve of 434,293 tonnes, which includes maize, traditional grains, and wheat. However, this excludes a recent 25,000-tonne donation of maize from Russia to the President.
While Midlands province is projected to have the highest harvest this year at 381,056 tonnes, it still falls short of its 2023 yield of 414,249 tonnes. All other provinces are expected to see significant declines compared to last season.
This drastic reduction in maize production due to El Niño’s influence poses a serious threat to Zimbabwe’s food security and could lead to price hikes for a staple food source for many citizens.
A recent World Bank report ranks Zimbabwe as one of the top 10 countries facing the worst food price inflation in the world.
With a rate of 26%, Zimbabwe has the world’s second-highest food inflation, following only Argentina.
The report identifies several other countries struggling with severe food price hikes including Egypt, Palestine and Vietnam.
