Emmerson Njanjamangezi, Group Features Editor 
ZIMBABWE is making a renewed push to increase rice production as it aims to cut imports of the commodity by US$100 million, with authorities stepping up efforts to encourage smallholder farmers to grow the crop locally.
This comes as the government has enlisted the help of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) to explore the possibility of using a new drought- and disease-resistant rice variety known as New Rice for Africa (Nerica).
Officiating at a rice summit held in Harare last week, chief director of research and innovation in the ministry of Agriculture, Dumisani Kutywayo, said smallholder farmers in Zimbabwe can raise production to meet national demand.
“Increased rice production influenced by the change of lifestyle and the need for diversification, has created a pressing need for increased rice production and productivity. Rice as a strategic crop in Zimbabwe holds great potential to contribute towards food security, hunger reduction, and poverty alleviation.
“Over 80 percent of the rice sold and consumed in the country is imported, spending more than US$100 million. Annual rice production is 2 908 MT against a national requirement of 300 000 MT.”
Kutywayo said in restaurants or hotels, rice remains a common food item which most diners prefer.
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“Rice production has been low due to a number of challenges. The challenges include unavailability of rice seed varieties on the local market, absence of high-yielding, aromatic rice varieties and skills gaps across the value chain. Low women’s participation has also compounded the challenges. There is need to learn from other countries and experts,” Kutywayo said.
The summit was aimed at strengthening the rice value chain through knowledge and information sharing, improvement of technical skills, fostering collaboration among rice value chain actors.
Through Jica, government has brought in a rice production technical expert, Tatsushi Tsuboi, to train local researchers, extension officers and women farmers from all the 10 provinces of Zimbabwe.
Tsuboi’s visit to Zimbabwe is part of the follow-up engagements that First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa had in Tokyo with Jica vice president Sachiko Imoto in November 2022.
Tsuboi is a renowned Nerica rice expert with more than 30 years’ experience.
He introduced Nerica rice varieties in Zimbabwe in 2006. Nerica rice varieties are products of crossing Asian and African rice varieties.
Intense research on rice started in the early 1990s, and many organisations have been involved in the distribution of planting material.
Speaking at the same event, Jica resident representative Kyosuke Kawazumi said government can build on the resurgent rice production momentum to conclude its rice policy
“This summit is coming at a time the country is working on the rice policy. I therefore call upon rice stakeholders to come up with a clear roadmap to ensure Zimbabwe achieves self-sufficiency in rice production,” he said.
Rice has never been produced commercially on a big scale in the country even though there is a history of the production of indigenous brown rice in wetlands, commonly referred as ‘matoro.’
According to the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), 90 percent of the world’s rice is cultivated in South, Southeast and East Asia.
Globally, rice is grown in more than 100 countries with a total harvested area of nearly 160 million hectares, producing more than 700 million tonnes every year.
One fifth of the world’s population depends on rice cultivation for their livelihoods.
Malawi is a key producer of rice in southern Africa. It is estimated that the neighbouring country has 600 000 hectares of land that can be used for rice production.
Experts say if this area is fully utilised, the country could produce more than 2 million metric tonnes of rice per annum, with Zimbabwe, Mozambique, DRC and other countries in the region as the market.
At present, Malawi produces 150 000 tonnes of rice per annum and Zimbabwe can tap into its vast agricultural expertise and extension network to promote the growth of this staple.
The Zimbabwean economy and agricultural sector can benefit significantly from introducing another grain crop such as rice.
Rice is a cereal grain crop, and many grain farmers in Zimbabwe would be interested in growing it to diversify their farming operations.
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