FAO expands digital farmer registry to strengthen agricultural data and empower smallholders in Zimbabwe

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has launched a second phase of farmer registration in Zimbabwe using Identification, Delivery, and Empowerment Application (IDEA) farmer registry system. IDEA is a digital innovation designed to strengthen agricultural data management, improve service delivery, and empower smallholder farmers through technology-driven solutions.

Developed by FAO, the IDEA platform is a system that enables efficient management of farmer data and delivery of agricultural assistance, including cash transfers, vouchers and distribution of agricultural inputs and services.

Scaling up digital transformation in Zimbabwe’s agriculture

The rollout of the farmer registry, funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB) under the Zimbabwe Emergency Food Production Facility (ZEFPP), will support the registration of 36 588 farmers across 12 districts and four provinces during the 2025/26 cropping season. This initiative aims to improve the availability of certified seeds and fertilizers for 180 000 beneficiaries, with 40 percent of the recipients being women, promoting inclusivity and gender equity in access to productive inputs.

The initiative directly responds to a request from the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development (MLAFWRD), which in June 2024 sought FAO’s technical support in identifying a more secure, reliable, and user-friendly digital tool to address challenges with previous farmer data registries..

“Through IDEA, we are building a robust and secure digital ecosystem that empowers farmers, strengthens accountability, and enhances transparency in input delivery,” said Patrice Talla, FAO Subregional Coordinator for Southern Africa and Representative to Zimbabwe. “The system’s flexibility allows us to tailor interventions to national needs while safeguarding farmer data”, he added.

Technology meets capacity building

From 15–20 October 2025, FAO, in collaboration with the Ministry, conducted training for 176 Agricultural Business Advisory Officers (ABAOs) who will be using IDEA to collect data during the registration process. The training focused on the use of digital tools, data collection protocols, and system management, thus ensuring that local officers are equipped with skills to manage digital tools for efficient and transparent agricultural data management beyond the project’s lifespan. To date, 14 915 farmers have been registered using the IDEA system, with the process expected to be completed by the first week of November this year in time for the 2025/26 summer crop growing season.

 “Empowering extension officers with digital skills is key to sustainable agriculture. FAO’s support is driving Zimbabwe’s journey toward a resilient, data-driven farming future,” said Besinnat Nyango, Acting Deputy Director, ICT – Digital Transformation and Modernization, in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development.

Digital innovation for inclusion and resilience

The IDEA system integrates end-to-end encryption, password protection, and real-time monitoring to protect beneficiary data and enhance operational transparency. By digitizing registration and data management, the platform minimizes duplication, accelerates verification, and ensures that resources reach intended beneficiaries efficiently and equitably.

“Digital transformation is central to FAO’s strategy for inclusive and efficient agrifood systems,” noted Lewis Hove, FAO Resilience Team Leader for Southern Africa. IDEA provides governments and partners with an agile platform for targeting assistance, protecting data, and empowering farmers to be active participants in the digital economy.

 “The Bank’s partnership with FAO on the IDEA rollout under the Zimbabwe Emergency Food Production Facility demonstrates how innovation can bridge gaps in input delivery, improve accountability, and drive productivity for thousands of smallholder farmers”, added Lewis Hove.

A regional model for digital transformation

IDEA is already being deployed across a number of FAO-supported operations, serving as a scalable model for harmonizing farmer registries, strengthening coordination among partners, and improving transparency in agricultural assistance delivery.

Through these efforts, FAO and AfDB are helping governments transition from fragmented systems to unified, secure digital farmer registries, ensuring that every farmer counts — and is counted — in national resilience and production systems.

At the same time, the design of IDEA ensures that farmer data remains owned and controlled at the national level, strengthening digital sovereignty and accountability.

By leveraging innovation and technology, the initiative supports FAO’s Four Betters — better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life — and contributes directly to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2 (Zero Hunger) and 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure).