The Zimbabwe CPF is anchored on the 2016-2020 Zimbabwe United Nations Development Assistance Framework (ZUNDAF) agreed to between the Government of Zimbabwe and the UN Country Team (UNCT). FAO’s contribution to both the ZIMASSET and ZUNDAF is through three priority areas that are in line with the SDGs and other commitments, gender equality and nutrition sensitivity are priority cross-cutting issues.
Priority area A: Strengthening Policy and Institutional Frameworks
Policy inconsistencies and the absence of a functional long-term agriculture, and related policies and strategies remain major challenges. Aligning and/or strengthening legal and policy frameworks and capacity development of national institutions and support frameworks that increase agricultural output and sustainable productivity are key priorities. FAO support focuses on the following policies and strategies (i) review and operationalization of the agricultural policy framework, (ii) formulation of comprehensive land policy (iii) drought mitigation, Livestock and Foot and Mouth Disease strategies, (iv) formulation of forestry, Irrigation, Research and Extension, Horticulture, and Wildlife-based land use policies, and (v) review and operationalization of Food and Nutrition Security policy.
Priority area B: Enhancing Agricultural Productivity and Competitiveness
While there has been a negative trend in agricultural production, Zimbabwe’s farming sector has potential to produce surpluses of crops and livestock. Sustainable national and household FNS remains anchored on local production. The country’s agriculture is now dominated by small scale farmers, who are typically characterised by low, erratic and/or generally uncompetitive production systems. FAO support will focus on (i) enhancing livelihoods and FNS, (ii) development and rehabilitation of smallholder irrigation schemes, (iii) support for smallholder livestock programmes and disease control, (iv) reduction of post-harvest losses for maize and horticulture, (v) ensuring nutrition sensitive agriculture and food safety throughout the value chain and, (vi) promoting integration of smallholder farmers into markets.
Priority area C: Increasing Resilience and uptake of Climate Smart Agriculture
Climate change is a cross-cutting development issue that has become a reality, indicating the urgent need for adaptation, DRR/M, planning and rehabilitation of productive assets to build community resilience, especially for vulnerable populations in a gender-sensitive way. As indicated in the ZUNDAF, high impact advocacy campaigns for climate smart agriculture for household FNS and community resilience will be launched in partnership with the public and private sectors, NGOs, community based organizations and donors. Further, national advocacy networks that are linked to global networks will be strengthened and/or established. FAO support focuses on (i) managing climate related risks and post-harvest losses, (ii) sustainable forest and natural resource management (NRM), and (iii) support to agriculture early warning information systems. Technical support will also be provided at the regional level through programmes aimed at building resilient livelihoods in crisis areas in Sub-Saharan Africa.