GOVERNMENT LAUNCHES PUSH TO CUT CROP BREEDING TIME, FAST-TRACK CLIMATE-SMART SEEDS

HARARE – Government has officially opened a two-day training workshop for plant breeders and seed regulators, directing them to cut crop variety development from 10-12 years to 4-6 years and eliminate regulatory bottlenecks that delay climate-smart seed releases.

Speaking at the workshop themed “Accelerating Research & Development for Climate-Smart Crop Varieties to Guarantee National Food, Nutrition, and Economic Security”, Dr. Dumisai Kutywayo, speaking on behalf of Permanent Secretary, of the Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanization and ater Resource Development, Prof. Jiri, declared that Zimbabwe’s agriculture is “on the frontlines of shifting weather patterns” and can no longer rely on legacy varieties.“

We are witnessing increasing frequency and intensity of mid-season droughts, erratic onset and cessation of rains, record-breaking heatwaves, and the rapid emergence of novel pests and virulent crop diseases,” the official said. “A single dry spell at the flowering stage can wipe out months of investment for a smallholder farmer.

”The workshop convened the Agricultural Research Council (ARC), Horticulture Development Council (HDC), CIMMYT, Zimbabwe Plant Breeders Association (ZPBA), Zimbabwe Seed Association (ZSA) and members of the National Variety Release Committee (NVRC).

Four key outcomes set

Participants were challenged to deliver to: Standardize and Modernize Evaluation Metrics for climate-smart traits like drought resilience and nutrient-use efficiency

Accelerate Turnaround Times by identifying procedural bottlenecks in variety evaluation without compromising standards

Strengthen Public-Private Partnerships for joint breeding, germplasm exchange and pre-commercial testing Build Next-Generation Capacity through formal mentorship from senior breeders and NVRC members to young scientists

Directives to breeders and regulators

Breeders were told to produce robust DUS and VCU data from multi-location, multi-season trials in stress-prone zones.
The NVRC was reminded it is the “guardian of agricultural quality” but warned: “Guardianship must not turn into administrative delay. If a high-yielding, drought-tolerant variety meets all scientific standards, the release process must be swift, transparent, and streamlined.”The workshop will also harmonize regional frameworks such as SADC protocols to allow top-performing varieties to cross borders without redundant testing.New breeding priorities

Government wants focus on: abiotic stress tolerance, biotic stress resistance to Fall Armyworm and Maize Lethal Necrosis, nutrient-use efficiency with early maturity, and biofortification with Vitamin A, Zinc and Iron.
Breeders were urged to adopt Marker-Assisted Selection, Genomic Selection and Speed Breeding to fast-track delivery.Partners acknowledged

CIMMYT was praised for drought and disease-resistant maize germplasm. ARC for coordinating national research, HDC for climate-smart horticulture, ZPBA for professional ethics, and ZSA as “the bridge between scientific discovery and field adoption.”“Government remains committed to supporting agricultural scientific research, protecting 

Intellectual Property rights through Plant Breeders' Rights, and maintaining a policy environment that encourages investment in seed systems,” the official said.“Our farmers are waiting. They need seed that withstands drought, yields well under heat, resists devastating pests, and commands a fair price in the market. 

The work you do in this room directly impacts their success and our national food security.”The official officially declared the Training Workshop for Plant Breeders and Members of the NVRC open.