Farmers in Nkayi, traditionally one of Matabeleland North’s most resilient agricultural hubs, are facing a bitter paradox: a promising 2025/26 season that may end in economic ruin due to a collapsed road network.
While the timely arrival of the rains revitalied parched grazing lands and boosted crop vitality, the same downpours have effectively severed the lifeline between rural producers and urban markets.
Nkayi South Member of Parliament, Jabulani Hadebe, warned that without urgent government intervention to rehabilitate arterial roads, the hard-won gains of the season would be lost to rot and isolation.
“While farmers are producing more, accessing markets remains a challenge,” Hadebe told Southern Eye on Sunday. “The rains destroyed most of the roads leading to urban areas.”
The current agricultural season was expected to be a turning point for Zimbabwe’s farming sector, which has been repeatedly battered by climate shocks and erratic weather patterns in recent years.
In Nkayi, the visual evidence of a turnaround is clear; crops are healthy, and livestock—the backbone of the local economy—are in significantly improved condition due to lush grazing.
However, Hadebe said the physical barriers to trade are now more daunting than the climate itself. He argued that the “promise” of the season is being undermined by structural failures that fall outside the typical remit of the Ministry of Agriculture.
“We need better infrastructure and pricing mechanisms to ensure farmers get viable prices for their produce,” Hadebe said. “The government, outside the Ministry of Agriculture and its agencies, should work to improve market linkages.”
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The MP said while the livestock look healthy, the lack of accessibility complicates veterinary interventions, leaving herds vulnerable to disease if precautions are not strictly followed.
Beyond the immediate crisis, Hadebe called for a dual-track approach to rural development.
While prioritising the immediate rehabilitation of roads to move produce to buyers before it perishes, he also stressed the need for sustained investment in water security.
This includes the long-awaited completion of the Ziminya Dam in Nkayi, a project seen as vital for long-term climate resilience through water harvesting.
