Policy Trajectories in the Agrarian Sector in the Context of an Interlocking Crises: Critical Reflections from Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe like many other low- and middle-income countries (LMICS) has for the past few years faced the persistent challenges of food and income insecurity. In recent years, this has been worsened by multiple interlocking systemic and idiosyncratic crises which have found expression in the country’s socio-economic, political, and ecological landscape. Increasing food insecurity, poverty, inequality, and vulnerability currently being witnessed globally which have been linked to the climate crisis, biodiversity loss, political and social polarisation as well as the legacy of the cataclysmic COVID-19 pandemic have not spared the country. This has necessitated an urgent need for the adoption of a national response aimed at ensuring food and nutrition security; environmental and social justice; and a push towards the vision of a just and sustainable future. Despite these challenges and emergent dynamics, limited scholarly research has been undertaken. To fill this research gap, this paper triangulates data from different sources to reflect on the country’s policy responses which have been grounded in an agricultural transformation agenda to mitigate food and nutrition insecurity challenges. Central to its analysis is critical engagement with the Zimbabwe governments five-year development plan known as the National Development Strategy 1 (2021-2025) and the Agriculture and Food Systems Strategy (2020-2025). These policies which are a product of a new neo-liberal oriented political dispensation have an underlying objective of responding to the multiple crisis facing the country’s agrarian sector. They specifically spell out multiple objectives which include ensuring socio-economic development, facilitating structural transformation, and ensuring food, nutrition, and income security. The fulfilment of these objectives is expected to culminate in the country attaining its ambitious vision of an upper middle-income status by 2030. In addition to this policy-oriented analysis, the paper also looks at agricultural production trends of maize and wheat in the country between 2016-2023. This provides insight on the impact of current policy trajectories on the agrarian sector, the economy, food, and nutrition security as well as rural livelihoods. The paper centrally argues that for LMICS, the Zimbabwe case provides critical lessons on the role of policy in the agriculture and food systems transformation revolution currently underway globally in response to the contemporary polycrisis and uncertainty. It highlights the importance of the role and synergistic relationship that exists between policy making, governance, the economy, political structures, ideology, financial commitment among other factors in contributing to agrarian transformation and food system resilience. New policy trajectories geared towards agrarian transformation which are aimed at responding to the contemporary crisis are presented as being critical and having the potential to contribute to and resolve the persistent challenges of poverty, disenfranchisement, marginalisation, and inequality.