Clemence Manyukwe
Clemence Manyukwe is a Zimbabwean journalist who writes on all aspects of farming, including livestock, crops and drought management.
Latest articles
Zimbabwe portfolio committee proposes annual levy on idle farms
Zimbabwe’s Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Development has proposed an annual per-hectare levy on large-scale farms that remain idle or underutilised without valid justification.
‘Scrap trade barriers to cut food prices’ – SADC
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) is in the process of implementing measures to remove non-tariff barriers (NTBs) to facilitate intra-regional trade.
How Zimbabwean farmers are preparing for El Niño
With the Meteorological Services Department of Zimbabwe forecasting below-normal rainfall nationwide, three farmers in different districts are somehow keeping production going, despite dwindling profit margins.
Zimbabwe faces major grain deficit as El Niño looms
Zimbabwe government officials are projecting a grain deficit of between 266 881t and 541 881t for the 2026/27 season, largely driven by anticipated poor rainfall, due to the upcoming El Niño, and rising fuel and fertiliser costs.
From butchery floor to Zimbabwe’s first cattle bank
In 2013, straight out of high school, Ashleigh Nyambirai was mopping floors at the family bakery and butchery. She was the most junior resource on site. Today, she runs Zimbabwe’s first cattle bank –TN Livestock Trust (TNLT).
Zim agri show attracts higher livestock numbers in 2026
Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) remained the biggest deterrent for cattle farmers exhibiting at the Zimbabwe Agricultural Show (ZAS), but stricter biosecurity and Directorate of Veterinary Services support saw entries rise in 2026 compared to 2025.
Zimbabwe’s 10-year plan targets 35% sugar cane yield jump
Zimbabwe has set a target to increase sugar cane yields by 35%, aiming to lift national averages from 81t/ha to 110t/ha as part of its Sugarcane Industry Development Plan (2026–2035).
Adapting Ankole cattle to Zimbabwe’s harsh conditions
When Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa received Ankole cattle from his Rwandan counterpart Paul Kagame, the herd was moved from Rwanda’s high-rainfall highlands to Zimbabwe’s drier Midlands province, where conditions are much harsher.
Zimbabwe reopens border to cloven-hoofed animals from the Western Cape
Zimbabwe has partially lifted its suspension on imports of live cloven-hoofed animals and products from South Africa, reopening trade from the Western Cape only. Animals will be accepted only from farms and compartments certified by Zimbabwean state veterinarians as meeting World Organisation for Animal Health standards.
How Bulawayo youths reclaimed a wasteland with farming
What began as a routine monthly clean-up in Bulawayo’s Pumula suburb uncovered something far worse than litter: a permanent illegal dumpsite wedged between family homes, scarred by deep pits carved out by sand poachers.
Bulawayo Agricultural Show goes ahead despite FMD outbreak
Cattle pens were empty at this year’s Bulawayo Agricultural Show in Zimbabwe due to the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in Southern Africa, but small-stock and young agripreneurs focused on value addition kept the event going.
Why Simmentaler cattle appeal to three Zimbabwean farmers
Obert Chinhamo, Tsungirai Tembo and Kelvin Mundeta are each using Simmentaler genetics in different ways to improve herd performance in Zimbabwe. From supporting communal farmers with semen donations, to building stud operations and crossbreeding for beef production, their experiences highlight how the breed is helping farmers boost productivity in a challenging environment.
Zimbabwe seeks commercial footing for hemp industry
The Zimbabwean government is urging the domestic hemp industry to turn the regulatory framework introduced in 2020 into tangible commercial output and profitability.
Zimbabwe targets wheat surplus amid farmer pay and power woes
On 10 March this year, Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa chaired the year’s fifth cabinet meeting which discussed the country’s winter agriculture production plan. As expected, wheat production was part of that agriculture plan.
Zimbabwe sets ambitious irrigation plans
Zimbabwe aims to develop 496 000ha of land under irrigation by 2030 to reduce reliance on rain-fed [rainfed] farming, a key pillar of its National Development Strategy.
Zimbabwean farmers’ undercover success stories
Clemence Manyukwe takes a look at the successful operations of three ‘undercover’ farmers in Zimbabwe, including flower grower Roelof Nugteren, hydroponics farmer Keith Chipudhla, and aquaponics farmer Joe Mugwagwa.
Zimbabwe’s rabbit farming sector eyes tenfold growth
Zimbabwe's rabbit farming sector is poised for significant expansion, with projections indicating a tenfold increase in value to US$25 million (about R400 million) in the medium term, up from a base of US$2,5 million (R40 million), as the industry transitions from informal roots to a thriving commercial enterprise.
Satellite technology a boost to Zimbabwe farms
Driven by technology’s potential to empower producers, 27-year-old Tafadzwa Chikwereti co-founded eAgro, a Zimbabwe-based agritech company combining satellite monitoring, soil science, and artificial intelligence tools to provide local farmers with real-time insights that help them boost yields and farm more sustainably.
From cockpit to coffee: a Kenyan farmer’s path to sustainable production
Kenyan farmer David Waweru left his pilot career to produce coffee on the family farm. He spoke to Farmer’s Weekly about export markets, farm challenges, and giving back to his community.
Agricultural village business units transform rural Zimbabwe
Village business units registered as commercial agricultural ventures are transforming Zimbabwe’s rural landscape, long associated with subsistence farming.
