HARARE, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabwe will increase food imports to mitigate the impact of an impending El Nino-induced drought, a cabinet minister said on Wednesday.
Addressing a post-cabinet media briefing in Harare, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Zhemu Soda said total cereal production in the 2026/2027 season is projected to drop to 1.6 million tonnes from 2.68 million tonnes in the previous season.
Soda said the private sector will be allowed to import grain to meet commercial needs for both human consumption and livestock feed, while households will continue to import basic food items.
The government will implement resilience measures, including enhancing the strategic grain reserve, accelerating climate-smart production, integrating financing architecture, mitigating livestock drought impacts, strengthening early-warning systems, and providing capacity-building support, he added.
According to the Meteorological Services Department's summer rainfall outlook, Zimbabwe is forecast to receive below-normal rainfall during the 2026/2027 season, which typically runs from October to March.
Faced with the twin challenges of a severe El Nino and geopolitical tensions that have elevated fuel and fertilizer prices while disrupting supply chains, the 2026/2027 season presents a critical stress test for Zimbabwe's agricultural resilience, Soda said. ■