The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in partnership with the Government of Zimbabwe and other stakeholders, has convened a four-day workshop in Kadoma to design an Exit and Sustainability Strategy for the Zimbabwe Emergency Food Production Project (ZEFPP). The initiative, implemented under the African Development Bank’s African Emergency Food Production Facility (AEFPF), aims to strengthen food security amid challenges such as the Russia–Ukraine conflict, climate change, and supply chain disruptions. Since its launch, the project has supported 82,000 farming households with agricultural inputs and training in climate-smart practices.
FAO Subregional Coordinator for Southern Africa, Patrice Talla, highlighted the importance of a well-planned transition, noting that a strong exit strategy will safeguard the project’s long-term impact, enhance accountability, and ensure continued benefits for local communities. The workshop brought together diverse institutions, including the Crop Breeding Institute, the AFC Land and Development Bank, the Department of Agricultural Engineering, and several other agricultural bodies, to ensure the strategy reflects multiple perspectives and areas of expertise.
Government representatives reaffirmed their commitment to sustaining the project’s outcomes. Abraham Mashumba, Director of Business Development, Markets, and Trade at the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, emphasized that the project’s conclusion should mark a new phase of national ownership and continued impact, rather than an end to progress.
Participants are conducting a thorough review of the project’s achievements, identifying challenges, and extracting lessons to shape future interventions. Implementing partners, such as the Crop Breeding Institute, expressed optimism that the strategy will clarify roles and strengthen institutional capacity, particularly in sustaining key initiatives like seed systems.
The workshop will culminate in the development of a detailed Exit and Sustainability Plan that defines clear responsibilities, handover procedures, and resource mobilization pathways. FAO Project Coordinator, Zwelo Ndebele, stressed that this effort is about building resilience and ensuring that Zimbabwe’s agricultural systems continue to thrive long after the project formally concludes in December 2025.
