Zimbabwe, officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country located in southern Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa, Botswana, Zambia and Mozambique. Zimbabwe's total area is 390,757 sq km (150,872 sq mi). A country of roughly 16 million people, Zimbabwe has 16 official languages, with English, Shona, and Ndebele the most commonly used.
Agriculture
Natural Region I
is a
specialized
and diversified farming region. The
region is suitable for forestry, fruit and intensive livestock production.
Smallholders
occupy less than 20% of the area of this region.
Natural Region II
In Natural Region II flue-cured
tobacco, maize, cotton, sugar beans and coffee can be grown.
Sorghum, groundnuts, seed maize, barley and various horticultural crops are also
grown.
Supplementary irrigation is done for winter wheat. Animal husbandry like poultry,
cattle for
dairy and meat, is also practiced in. Smallholder farmers occupy only 21% of the
area in
this productive region.
Natural Region III
is a semi-intensive farming region.
Smallholders occupy 39% of the area
of this region. Maize dominates commercial farm production. The region is subject to
periodic seasonal droughts, prolonged mid-season dry spells and unreliable starts of
the
rainy season. Irrigation plays an important role in sustaining crop production.
Natural Region IV
is too dry for successful crop
production without irrigation, but
communal farmers have no other choice but to grow crops in this area even without
access
to irrigation. Millet and sorghum are the common crops but maize is also grown.
Communal
farmers occupy 50% of the area of Natural Region IV.
Natural Region V
is too dry for successful crop
production without irrigation, but
communal farmers have no other choice but to grow crops in this area even without
access
to irrigation. Millet and sorghum are the common crops but maize is also grown.
Communal
farmers occupy 46% of the area of Natural Region V.
Zimbabwe is the world’s third largest tobacco producer after the United States and
Brazil.
Zimbabwe's economy relies heavily on the agriculture sector. Almost half the country's
exports are derived from agriculture, especially cotton, tobacco and the horticultural
crops. Zimbabwe’s economy is driven by agriculture and the majority of the rural people
depend on it for their livelihood. The share of employment in agriculture is 68.46 %.
The
annual growth in agricultural output is currently estimated at 2.5%, but fluctuates with
weather conditions.
Peanuts
Tobacco
Cotton
Tea
Corn
Sugar Cane
Climate
It is situated between 15 and 22° south latitude and 26 and 34° east longitude. Climatic conditions are largely sub-tropical with one rainy season, between November and March. Rainfall reliability decreases from north to south and also from east to west. Only 37% of the country receive rainfall considered adequate for agriculture.
Weather information
Agricultural crops
The staple food crop is maize, and other cereal crops for domestic marker include millet, wheat, peanut, barley and soybeans. The other main exports are tobacco, sugar, cotton, tea and soja bean oil.
