The AGRICULTURAL and Rural Development Authority (ARDA) is on track to meet and potentially surpass its 65 000-hectare winter wheat target for the 2026 season, anchoring the government’s drive toward total food self-sufficiency and the replenishment of the Strategic Grain Reserve.
The authority’s ambitious target constitutes a significant 52 percent of the national 125 000-hectare goal, which aims to produce approximately 300 000 metric tonnes of wheat.
Speaking during a recent visit to Antelope Estate in Matabeleland South, ARDA Director of Operations, Mr Washington Katiyo, expressed confidence in the progress made so far, highlighting that land preparation and planting are ahead of schedule.
“We are here at Antelope Estate showcasing what we are doing as ARDA in terms of crop production and our contribution towards food security for the nation,” said Mr Katiyo.
“Currently, we have established a wheat crop of almost 110 hectares at this estate, with 90 hectares having already germinated.”
Mr Katiyo said the transition from the summer crop to winter wheat is being managed through a strategic “double-cropping” approach.
At Antelope Estate, workers are currently harvesting maize to open up additional land for the remaining wheat establishment.
The authority’s strategy relies on a multi-pronged model involving direct management of estates, irrigation scheme business units and joint ventures with A1 and A2 farmers across the country’s eight farming provinces.
In Matabeleland South, ARDA is taking the lead by overseeing 3 100 hectares of the 4 000-hectare provincial target. To date, the province has seen 210 hectares established by ARDA, with germination recorded on nearly half of that area.
“You can see we are making progress in terms of the wheat establishment for this winter wheat season,” Mr Katiyo added.
The authority is eyeing high productivity, with farmers under ARDA contracts expecting yields of between 5 and 7 tonnes per hectare. This optimism is backed by the timely provision of inputs and improved agronomic practices through the ARDA Vision 2030 accelerator model.
If these targets are met, the record output will not only secure enough wheat for domestic consumption—which stands at roughly 360,000 tonnes—but will also allow the country to maintain a robust surplus, insulating Zimbabwe from global supply chain shocks.-herald
