Bongi Khumalo Zimbabwe has intensified preparations for the upcoming 2026/27 agricultural season, putting climate resilience and contingency planning at the centre of its strategy to buffer the sector against forecasted El Niño climate-related risks. In his 2026 Mid-Term Budget and Economic Review, Minister of Finance, Mthuli Ncube, said the government has adopted a comprehensive preparedness…
Bongi Khumalo The Tobacco Industry and Marketing Board (TIMB) has called on farmers to integrate climate-resilient diversification strategies into their operations as the country prepares for a potentially challenging 2026/27 agricultural season. Forecasts from the Meteorological Services Department indicate a strong likelihood of below-normal rainfall during the upcoming season, raising severe climate risks associated with…
Bongi Khumalo Econet Infrastructure Company (Econet InfraCo) has commenced Phase 1 of a 100MW solar farm development, marking a strategic pivot toward clean energy and grid independence across its assets. The solar farm, developed under the group’s PowerCo division, will supply clean power to the upcoming Econet Tech City development. The initiative forms part of…
Bongi Khumalo The Ministry of Agriculture has called on farmers nationwide to step up drought preparations across all agricultural sectors as developing El Niño conditions heighten the risk of a dry season. In an early warning advisory, the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanisation and Water Resources Development called on producers to implement protective measures before conditions…
Staff Writer The International Monetary Fund says a projected El Niño weather event could slow Zimbabwe’s economic momentum, potentially reducing its baseline 2027 growth forecast from 4.2 percent to a range of 2 to 3 percent. The warning follows a mission to Harare by IMF staff to conduct the first review under the country’s 10-month…
Staff Writer The Ministry of Agriculture says the commissioning of the 30-hectare Wanezi Irrigation Scheme in Insiza District marks a major milestone in government’s drive to climate-proof agriculture. This comes as the government is targeting to increase the area under irrigation from 175 000 hectares in 2020 to 496 000 hectares by 2030. Speaking at…
Staff Writer Zimbabwe is accelerating investments in renewable energy, with plans to develop 500 megawatts of solar capacity across 10 sites nationwide amid climate change-induced generation shortages. ZESA’s acting chief executive Cletus Nyachowe said this comes as climate change continues to present a significant hydrological risk to hydroelectric generation. “In years of reduced rainfall, water…
Staff Writer Southern African nations are moving to integrate artificial intelligence (AI) into their infrastructure planning to safeguard the region’s transport corridors, airports, and communication networks from extreme weather events. Southern African Development Community (SADC) officials warned that escalating floods, severe droughts, and intense cyclones are threatening vital regional logistics loops have shifted the focus…
Staff Writer A new El Niño climate phase is projected to begin within weeks, with the drought signal expected to be most pronounced in Southern Africa as agriculture goes on high alert around the world. The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has forecast a stronger-than-usual cycle, prompting advanced mapping from the Food and Agriculture Organisation of…
Staff Writer Nearly nine million people across 22 high-risk countries could be protected from a strong El Niño pattern through a new $202 million Joint Anticipatory Action Appeal. The initiative marks the first joint appeal of its kind by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP)….
