Zimbabwe: El Nino-Linked Drought Threatens Maize Production in Zimbabwe


Mazowe district of Zimbabwe’s Mashonaland Central province is struggling with prolonged severe drought, threatening the country’s maize supply, and impacting business of its grain millers.

Whenever farmer Terry Manyimo gazes upon his field, his heart is in his throat.

Zimbabwe’s northern Mazowe district is struggling with a prolonged severe drought.

“The way I am seeing our field right now, if we even get a bucket of maize it would be… I don’t know, we are not expecting anything from this field,” Manyimo says.

The poor rainfall in the district has wiped out a million hectares of maize.

Authorities seek to fill the production and demand gap with industry insider expecting increased import of maize to meet the country’s need.

Harare has been importing grain from South Africa with additional stocks expected to be shipped from Brazil.

“The drought itself in terms of our estimation will require us to import about 1.1 million tonnes of maize for both human and livestock consumption from between now and July 31 of 2025,” Tafadzwa Musarara, the chairman of the Grain Millers Association said.

Over than 80% of Zimbabwe received below normal rainfall, prompting the president to declared a state of disaster in early April. Similar moves were taken by neighbouring Zambia and Malawi.

In this harsh environment, people have to pay more for less food.