Can China’s zero-tariff policy boost Zimbabwe’s agriculture sector and rural industrialisation?

After more than two decades of collapse, can China’s zero-tariff policy inject new momentum towards agricultural renewal and rural industrialisation in Zimbabwe? Zimbabwe’s core agricultural roadmap, Agriculture, Food Systems and Rural Transformation Strategy 2 (AFSRTS 2), which spans 2026–2030, aims to grow the sector from a prior milestone of roughly US$10,3 billion to a US$15,8 billion economy by leveraging new technologies and access to international markets, targeting a 70% increase in horticulture and US$1,6 billion in agricultural exports.

It also seeks to accelerate agricultural modernisation, expanding irrigation infrastructure, mechanisation, and climate-smart farming.

This story is for NewsDay subscribers.