FAO Supports Zimbabwe in Developing National Agricultural and Livestock Census Plan of Action

FAO’s efforts are part of a broader initiative to improve Zimbabwe’s agricultural data systems, addressing critical gaps in structural data and sampling frameworks.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is assisting the Government of Zimbabwe in creating a comprehensive National Agricultural and Livestock Census (NALC) Plan of Action. This initiative includes developing a project document to mobilize resources for the country’s first-ever agricultural and livestock census since independence. The FAO is also helping to update Zimbabwe's national food balance sheet (FBS) to enhance data accuracy on food availability and nutritional content for policy-making.

FAO’s efforts are part of a broader initiative to improve Zimbabwe’s agricultural data systems, addressing critical gaps in structural data and sampling frameworks. Over the next two weeks, senior statisticians and economists from strategic sectors are convening in Harare to define data needs, methodologies, and resource requirements for conducting the census.

“The National Agricultural and Livestock Census project document is crucial for implementing the census as one of the statistical outputs outlined in Zimbabwe’s Strategic Plan for Agricultural and Rural Statistics (2025–2029) and the National Strategy for the Development of Statistics (2022–2026),” said Dominique Habimana, FAO Regional Statistician for Africa.

Baseline for Future Planning

The upcoming NALC will provide a comprehensive snapshot of Zimbabwe’s agricultural sector and establish a solid sampling frame for future surveys. “The census will serve as a baseline for various agricultural subsectors and guide informed decision-making,” Habimana added.

Addressing Food Security

The government is simultaneously updating data on food availability, including caloric, macronutrient, and micronutrient content, to strengthen policies on food security and nutrition. These efforts aim to address challenges in agricultural production and enhance Zimbabwe’s food security framework.

Resource Mobilization for Census Implementation

FAO has mobilized resources through a Technical Cooperation Project (TCP) to design and implement the NALC in response to the government’s request. This collaboration emphasizes FAO’s commitment to filling agricultural data gaps and supporting informed policy-making.

“The development of the National Agriculture Census project document highlights FAO’s strong commitment to supporting the Government of Zimbabwe in addressing food security and agricultural production challenges,” said Matiwonesa Phiri, Director of Production Statistics Division at ZIMSTAT.

The draft NALC project document, set to be validated by key stakeholders on January 30, 2025, will serve as both a framework for the census and a tool for mobilizing resources from government and donor partners. Once resources are secured, the implementation of the census will begin.

Impact on Zimbabwe’s Agricultural Sector

The NALC is expected to revolutionize Zimbabwe’s agricultural data landscape by:

• Enabling the design and implementation of more robust sample surveys.
• Improving resource allocation for agricultural development programs.
• Providing reliable data to support export strategies and international trade.

The initiative underscores the collaborative efforts of FAO, ZIMSTAT, and the Zimbabwean government to ensure sustainable agricultural growth and food security.