HARARE, 10 November 2026 – Farmers in Zimbabwe and Zambia are adopting water-conservation techniques, drought-resistant crops and organic soil management as preparations intensify for an anticipated El Niño weather pattern that could bring prolonged dry spells and extreme heat across southern Africa.
In Nyanga, eastern Zimbabwe, farmer Dudzai Matsapa is preparing his fields by digging small pits where he plans to place organic manure before the rainy season. The technique is designed to retain moisture and concentrate nutrients around crops rather than disturbing the entire field through conventional ploughing.
“Instead of ploughing the entire land, I only disrupt the specific spot where plants will grow,” Matsapa told French broadcaster Radio France Internationale (RFI) in a report published on 8 November.
The approach forms part of agroecology, which combines food production with practices intended to protect soil health, conserve water and improve biodiversity.
Matsapa, who has practised the methods since 2021, has also adopted zero tillage and drought-tolerant crops, including sorghum, millet, groundnuts and early-maturing maize. He produces his own compost using cow dung and dried grass.
Other farmers are adopting intercropping, growing different crops together to reduce erosion, limit moisture loss and improve soil conditions. In Zambia’s Western Province, farmers are also relying on local seed varieties that mature faster and require less water.
Nswau Kufanga, a farmer in Sesheke, told RFI that her early-maturing local maize variety, known as kafwamba, can still produce a reasonable harvest during drought because it requires less water and reaches maturity within a shorter period.
The preparations come as forecasters anticipate a strengthening El Niño, with the World Meteorological Organisation warning in September of the potential for significant global temperature and rainfall disruptions. The pattern is expected to peak towards the end of 2026 and persist into early 2027, according to the RFI report.
The stakes are considerable for rural communities in Zimbabwe and Zambia, where farming remains central to household food security and incomes. A poor rainy season can undermine crop production, increase food prices and place additional pressure on households already exposed to economic hardship.
Evidence cited by RFI from an ActionAid report published last month suggests that agroecological methods can deliver competitive yields. The report found that rotating legumes with cereals increased average cereal yields by 41% across Sub-Saharan Africa.
However, the benefits do not eliminate drought risks. Matsapa and fellow Nyanga farmer Netsai Dodzo told RFI that their harvests could still decline by about 50% during drought conditions, although the remaining output was sufficient to feed their families.
The Zimbabwe Mail’s assessment is that agroecology deserves greater attention as part of southern Africa’s climate-resilience strategy, particularly among smallholder farmers with limited access to irrigation, commercial inputs and agricultural finance. But its wider adoption will depend on practical support, reliable access to appropriate seeds, extension services and investment in water infrastructure.
For Zimbabwe, the challenge is not simply to increase agricultural output during favourable seasons, but to make production more resilient when rainfall becomes unreliable.
Matsapa says he has completed his preparations and is now waiting for the rains. “I have already done my part. Now, I am just waiting,” he told RFI.
