Martin Muleya
MUTARE-The nation is scaling up biofortification to tackle “hidden hunger” and climate shocks, with over 400 farmers receiving 12,000 virus-free sweet potato vines during the 2026 Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF).
The distribution is part of a partnership between the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development’s Directorate of Research, Education and Specialist Services (DRESS) and HarvestPlus Zimbabwe. The vines – Delvia, Alisha, and Beauregard varieties – are orange-fleshed sweet potatoes naturally rich in beta-carotene, which the body converts to vitamin A.
Zimbabwe faces a growing crisis of micronutrient deficiencies that weaken immunity and stunt child development, particularly among women and children. Erratic rainfall and prolonged dry spells have cut agricultural productivity, putting diverse, nutritious diets out of reach for many households.
“These sweet potato varieties have been carefully bred for high yields, disease and drought tolerance, and enhanced Vitamin A content. They represent a practical pathway to achieving the country’s goals of improved agricultural productivity, strengthened food and nutrition security, and climate resilience,” said Dr Dumisani Kutywayo, Chief Director of DRESS, speaking at the handover ceremony.
Dr Kutywayo urged farmers to multiply the vines and share them with neighbors to extend benefits beyond individual households.
“We are not distributing vines as an end in themselves, but as a catalyst for rural transformation. This approach aligns with the Government’s National Development Strategy 2 as well as the Agriculture, Food Systems, and Rural Transformation Strategy 2, all of which prioritize not only production, but also the diffusion of innovations that improve livelihoods and nutrition at scale.”
DRESS leads the development of high-yielding, climate-resilient varieties, bridging scientific innovation and smallholder needs to make ‘nutrition-sensitive agriculture’ a household practice.
“We are proud to be associated with this initiative. Our mandate as HarvestPlus is to reduce the prevalence of micronutrient malnutrition, and biofortification is the main strategy we are using for this. We are therefore grateful to Dr Kutywayo and his research team for paying attention to nutrition in their breeding programs, and ensuring that the varieties they release as a Directorate are nutrient-dense,” highlighted Sakile Kudita, country manager for HarvestPlus Zimbabwe
For smallholder farmers, the vines promise both health and income. Nokuthula Ncube, a farmer from Bubi District, was among the beneficiaries at ZITF.
“I am happy to have learnt about the health benefits of vitamin A orange sweet potatoes and to receive planting material. I look forward to growing them for my family and improving my income. I will also share the vines with other farmers once they are ready,” she noted.
By encouraging farmer-to-farmer distribution, the initial 12,000 vines could multiply into millions of plants across thousands of fields.
The orange-fleshed sweet potato initiative underscores a shift toward food-based solutions to malnutrition.
Through biofortification, Zimbabwe aims to turn the tide on hidden hunger, one harvest at a time.
