ZIMBABWE will host a high-level, invitation-only breakfast meeting next week in Harare to deliberate on agricultural revolution and value chain localisation, in a move aimed at strengthening food security and economic sovereignty.
The closed-door dialogue, scheduled for January 15, is being organised by the Agricultural Marketing Authority (AMA) in partnership with Africa Economic Development Strategies (AEDS).
It will bring together senior Government officials, captains of industry, financiers, agro-processors and farmer representative bodies to align strategy and action on grains and oilseeds value chain localisation.
In a joint Press statement released on Wednesday, AEDS board chairman Dr Farai Matanhire and AMA board chairman Mr Munyaradzi Hwengwere said the engagement comes at a time of heightened global geopolitical uncertainty and recurring supply chain disruptions, which have exposed the risks associated with reliance on food imports.
The statement noted that lessons from the Covid-19 pandemic and ongoing global conflicts have underscored a critical reality — that food import dependence poses a national security vulnerability.
“Zimbabwe currently spends over US$2 billion annually on agricultural imports, a significant proportion of which can be competitively produced locally. In response, the Government of Zimbabwe has prioritised self-sufficiency in grains and oilseeds and the domestication of key agricultural value chains as both an economic and security imperative.
“Central to this shift is Statutory Instrument 87 of 2025 (SI 87), which restricts imports of selected grains and oilseeds to stimulate domestic production and accelerate agro-industrial growth,” reads part of the statement.
The meeting will be officiated by the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, reflecting strong political commitment to the localisation agenda and Government’s openness to constructive dialogue.
According to the conveners, the session will provide a confidential, evidence-based platform to align policy, finance and industry around the practical implementation of SI 87 of 2025.
Key objectives include assessing Zimbabwe’s current and projected capacity to achieve self-sufficiency in maize, wheat, soya and sunflower, as well as unpacking the practical implications of SI 87, including localisation targets, risks and implementation timelines.
The dialogue will also evaluate the competitiveness and cost structures of local grain and oilseed value chains, examine sustainable financing mechanisms — including AMA bills and blended finance models — to scale primary production, and harmonise stakeholder perspectives to develop a shared, data-driven roadmap for reducing import dependence while safeguarding industrial continuity.
On expected outcomes, the conveners said the meeting is anticipated to deliver a consensus-based localisation roadmap that balances farmer viability, processor sustainability and consumer price stability.
Other anticipated outcomes include evidence-based resolutions on SI 87 of 2025, improved alignment between Government, industry and financiers on production planning, stock management and risk mitigation, and strengthened public-private partnerships critical to guaranteeing food security.
The statement further noted that enhanced collaboration between Government and the private sector is key to positioning Zimbabwe as a resilient agro-industrial hub anchored in local production.
“The convening signals Zimbabwe’s firm resolve to insulate its food system from external shocks, unlock domestic productive capacity, and secure a stable, self-reliant agricultural future,” the statement said.-herald
