OFFICIAL OPENING SPEECH
BY
HIS EXCELLENCY, THE PRESIDENT,
DR. E. D. MNANGAGWA
AT
THE 116th ZIMBABWE AGRICULTURAL SHOW
ZAS BUSINESS HUB,
HARARE
28 AUGUST 2026
Director of Ceremonies;
First Lady, Amai. A. Mnangagwa;
Vice President, Hon. Gen. (Rtd) Dr. C. G. D. N.
Chiwenga;
Vice President, Hon. Col. (Rtd) Dr. K. C. D. Mohadi;
National Chairman of ZANU PF and Minister of
Defence, Hon. O. C. Z. Muchinguri-Kashiri;
Minister of State for Harare Metropolitan Province,
Hon. Sen. C. Tawengwa;
Minister of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water
Resources Development, Hon. Dr. A. Masuka;
Honourable Ministers;
Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet,
Dr. M. Rushwaya;
Senior Government Officials;
Commander Zimbabwe Defence Forces,
Gen. E. Matatu;
Service Chiefs;
President of the Zimbabwe of Agricultural Society,
Mr. N. Kudenga;
The Council, Members, Management, and Staff of the
Zimbabwe Agricultural Society;
Madzimambo edu aripano;
Members of the Diplomatic Corps;
Captains of Industry and Commerce;
Farmers, Exhibitors, and Delegates;
Ladies and Gentlemen.
It is my honour and privilege to address this 116th Edition of the Zimbabwe Agricultural Show, being held under the theme; ‘Powering Growth: Where Agriculture, Technology and Commerce Converge.’
I congratulate the Council, Management and staff of the Zimbabwe Agricultural Society, together with all stakeholders for the institution’s 116 years of service. For over a century, this premier platform, has been a strategic space, where the broad array of agriculture sector players, converge. It is here, where the policy of Government meets practice. The week-long event provides the people of our great motherland, Zimbabwe an opportunity to see and experience some of the results of our ongoing national development programmes.
The ingenuity of the various sectors of the economy which impact our mechanisation, modernisation and industrialisation, is equally evident.
These grounds of the Zimbabwe Agricultural Society provide that ecosystem, where the farmer can access irrigation equipment and banks interact with new clients for Credit Guarantee Schemes. In addition, processors can sign contracts to fill the Agro-Processing Zones and the young talented boy or girl child, can showcase his or her ingenuity, innovation and creativity, including demonstrating how to build an agri-tech business solution.
It is timely that this years’ Agriculture Show, is occurring on the backdrop of the implementation of the National Development Strategy-2. This strategic national blueprint, provides for the accelerated realisation of Vision 2030.
Key aspects of agriculture, including mechanisation and irrigation development, among others, are at the centre of this agenda. Under my Administration, the sector is the engine of industrialisation, driver of exports, and foundation of food security and self-sufficiency, as well as empowerment and employment creation.
It is pleasing that under the National Development Strategy-1, we have built the requisite foundation for sustained growth. This has seen us realise unprecedent milestones.
In wheat, our beloved motherland, Zimbabwe achieved 100% self-sufficiency in 2023, 2024 and again in 2025 with a harvest of 375,000 metric tonnes. Under maize, we experienced a strong recovery from the 2024 drought to produce 2.3 million metric tonnes in 2025, restoring our Strategic Grain Reserve. Agricultural exports now exceed to US$ 2.1 billion.
Recently, the closure of the 2025/2026 tobacco marketing season, was marked with results that should make the nation proud. Our country produced over 358 million kilogrammes of tobacco, valued at over US$892 million. This is our second highest crop harvest on record, while tobacco remains our number one agriculture export earner, employing over 500,000 people across the value chain.
I commend our farmers, extension workers, financial institutions, input suppliers and other stakeholders for these success milestones. Well-done. Makorokoto, Amhlophe, Zimbabwe.
Going forward, I challenge the various sub-sectors, across all categories of farmers to shift the horizon, towards increased and consistent high output transformation and value addition.
As we journey towards this goal, my Government is committed to continually develop the total hectarage of new irrigation. The overall objective is to ensure that yearly, we produce enough maize, wheat, traditional grains and horticulture to feed our nation and have a surplus for export.
Under the National Development Strategy-2, we will no longer export opportunities, jobs and value of our products, which are often exported as raw materials.
To this end, the Second Republic has set out to establish Special Agro-Processing Zones in all our 10 provinces.
We must move from raw soyabeans to cooking oil and stock feeds; raw milk to cheese and yoghurt among other dairy products; fruits to juice and concentrates; tobacco leaf to cigarettes; cattle to leather and packaged meat. All agriculture produce must be processed locally.
The target is to grow the overall agro-processing share in the manufacturing sector. This responsibility is not only for big enterprises, but must be promoted from the village level and the rural industrialisation frameworks.
This must see the transition of more than 1.8 million smallholder farmers into commercial value chains.
Strategies such as contract farming, linkages with the Zimbabwe Mercantile Exchange, and financing under the expanded Agricultural Finance Corporation as well as the new Credit Guarantee Scheme, should be pursued with deliberate focus.
On its part, Government will continue to facilitate the ease of doing business environment to ensure competitiveness of our ‘Made in Zimbabwe’ quality goods and products. Investment in laboratories, standards compliance and certification for traceability must remain our strategic priorities.
Ladies and Gentlemen;
Innovation, technology, research and development are no longer optional. The agriculture sector has evolved to data, mechanisation and agri-technologies which ride on Artificial Intelligence. Faced with this reality, precision and climate smart agriculture must be boldly embraced.
Further, it is critically important that the deployment of soil sensors, satellite monitoring and drone services be expedited.
These must be complemented by the digitisation of extension and agronomy services across all provinces, ward by ward.
Meanwhile, I challenge the Institutions of higher learning and the country’s research ecosystem to scale up innovations, inventions, trademarks and patents related to agriculture and agro-processing. Applications and data from laboratories as well as output from innovation hubs and industrial parks must be products that our farmers can use, today and in the future, for improved household incomes and the benefit of our country as a whole.
Our preparation for the 2026/ 2027 agriculture season, will continue to be informed by science. We are rolling out a National Early Warning System and index-based insurance programme. Under these forward-looking initiatives, stronger disaster preparedness and support measures are in place, to guarantee risk and burden reduction for vulnerable communities, including women, children and the youth.
Meanwhile, my Administration is alive to the centrality of infrastructure and energy as key enablers for increased agriculture production and productivity. We thus, continue to rehabilitate and mordenise our national road, rail and air infrastructure, while concerted efforts are being made to speed up investments in cold chain and storage facilities. My Government is expanding our national agriculture mechanisation capacity, with each village earmarked to have access to a tractor and other key equipment.
Ladies and Gentlemen;
The future of farming is anchored on women, youth, productive and entrepreneurial population of our country. This segment of our demography is a vital cog of agriculture, as both drivers and beneficiaries.
To this end, my Administration is establishing, Youth Agriculture Entrepreneur Hubs across provinces, and also broadening the reach of the Women in Agriculture Fund, to ensure that no one and no place is left behind.
I am, therefore, confident that this premier event, will go a long way to enrich the perspectives, insights and networks within the agriculture sector towards the realisation of our national goals.
On its part, my Government will continue to support the Zimbabwe Agricultural Society to modernise this exhibition park and expand its impactful programmes in districts and wards of our beloved motherland.
It is my expectation that the various resolutions and recommendations emanating from this Annual premier event, will help inform the implementation of our people-centred programmes and projects.
To our private sector, I challenge you to take up the opportunities for investments and partnerships, outlined in our National Development Strategy-2. Together, let us nurture and weave long term synergies for the local manufacture of fertilisers and livestock vaccines, among other components required in the agriculture sector and the broader economy.
Nyika inovakwa, inotongwa, inonamatigwa nevene vayo/ Ilizwe, lakhiwa, libuswe, likhu-le-ke-lwe ngabanikazi balo.
To our farmers, I urge you to be commercial, innovate and to adapt new technology, while entrenching a culture of continuous improvement, production and productivity. Ngatirimei minda yedu/ Asilimeni amasimu ethu.
Our national land resources, have moved from being a form of ‘communal entitlement or settlement’, to being assets of production, wealth creation and empowerment.
To the youth and women, agriculture is the overarching business of the present and future. I challenge you to lead this sector, help feed the nation and produce the feedstock for our industry.
Finally, I congratulate, those who have been recognised and have won awards for their performance, world class exhibitions and displays. Makorokoto, Amhlophe.
With these remarks, it is now my singular honour and privilege to declare the 116th Edition of the Zimbabwe Agricultural Show, officially open.
God bless you.
God bless Zimbabwe.
I thank you.