Zimbabwe is experiencing an agricultural revolution driven by solar-powered irrigation systems, AI-based crop monitoring technologies, and mobile market platforms.
These innovations are helping thousands of smallholder farmers increase production, improve crop yields, and gain better access to markets.
In a country where irregular rainfall once caused dams to dry up, farmers can now grow crops all year round thanks to solar-powered irrigation and “sand-abstraction” technology, which taps into underground water sources.
Through the FAO’s Digital Villages Initiative, more than 5,000 farmers are gaining access to digital advisory services and AI-powered crop analysis. Mobile platforms are connecting producers directly to markets, while the Earth Observation for Agricultural Statistics (EOSTAT) system is strengthening Zimbabwe’s ability to monitor crop performance and climate risks.
Farmers can also obtain agricultural inputs through e-vouchers, with all transactions tracked online. Thanks to this system, between May and August, production of 17,000 hectares of winter wheat and 72,000 hectares of maize has been supported.
Zimbabwe’s integrated approach — combining indigenous knowledge with modern technology — is creating a model for climate-smart, digitally enabled agriculture that could be replicated across Africa.