Zimbabwe Deploys Tools to Restore Degraded Lands
The Government of Zimbabwe has commissioned a new tranche of small-scale agricultural equipment to support climate-smart agriculture, sustainable land management, and rural livelihoods in the country’s dryland regions.
The initiative forms part of the Drylands Sustainable Landscapes Impact Programme (DSL-IP), funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF-7) and supported by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
The commissioning ceremony, held at the Community Technology Development Organisation (CTDO) in Harare, was officiated by the Minister of Environment, Climate and Wildlife, Hon. Evelyn Ndhlovu, alongside officials from the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, FAO, implementing partners, and members of the development sector.
“Today’s commissioning marks a strategic shift from environmentally destructive practices towards productive, climate-smart and land-positive livelihoods. Mechanisation is not merely about increasing output; it reduces labour drudgery for women and youth while improving productivity and resilience,” said Hon. Dr. Ndhlovu.
The DSL-IP Zimbabwe project, part of a global FAO-led programme spanning eleven countries in Southern Africa, West Africa and Asia, supports nations in achieving Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) targets under the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).
The programme is implemented in Zimbabwe by the Ministry of Environment, Climate and Wildlife through the Environmental Management Agency (EMA), with technical support from FAO, CTDO, World Vision, the Forestry Commission, and the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority.
A total of 1,050 additional pieces of small-scale agricultural equipment were commissioned, bringing the cumulative total to 1,960 units. The tools – including two-wheel tractors, double-furrow ploughs, planters, trailers, multi-crop threshers, earth augers, and post-harvest processing machinery – are supporting 600 Farmer Field Schools across the Save and Runde catchments, benefiting over 15,000 direct beneficiaries, of whom 52 percent are women.
“The equipment has already reduced labour requirements, improved the timeliness of farm operations, and encouraged adoption of sustainable practices beyond project-supported Farmer Field Schools,” said Rene Czudek, FAO Forestry Officer and Lead Technical Officer for DSL-IP.
Smallholder mechanisation is recognised as a key driver of agricultural modernisation and rural transformation. “Mechanisation enhances productivity through timeliness and precision of operations, while limiting expansion into forests and fragile ecosystems, directly contributing to Zimbabwe’s land degradation neutrality commitments,” noted Obert Jiri, Permanent Secretary for Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development.
The project aligns with Zimbabwe’s National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2), the Pfumvudza/Intwasa climate-smart agriculture programme, and broader national mechanisation initiatives.
Over the Save and Runde landscapes, the programme is expected to restore 2,150 hectares of degraded land, bring 172,540 hectares under improved sustainable land and forest management, and mitigate 1.26 million tonnes of CO₂-equivalent emissions, while enhancing resilience across 44 wards in eight districts.
“Every piece of equipment commissioned today must translate into improved productivity, restored landscapes, and dignified livelihoods for our rural citizens,” said Andrew Mushita, CTDO Director.
