By Mthokozisi Mabhena
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) is no longer a futuristic concept; it is a present-day reality reshaping industries worldwide. AI’s transformative power in agriculture has been profound, off ering innovative solutions to age-old challenges. For Zimbabwe, a nation with a rich agricultural heritage and aspirations to become an upper-middle-income economy by 2030, AI presents an unprecedented opportunity to revolutionise farming practices, enhance food security and drive sustainable development. In a groundbreaking move, Zimbabwe has unveiled its fi rst AI-powered grain silo depot in Kwekwe, marking a signifi cant leap towards modernising the nation’s agricultural infrastructure. This state-of-the-art facility integrates cutting-edge Artifi cial Intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies to revolutionise grain storage, aiming to bolster food security and reduce post-harvest losses.
Our nation is in the process a great transformation, with a quiet revolution unfolding, led by sensors, data, and AI. One just has to visit farms and plots around the country to witness how technology has transformed dayto-day agricultural operations. Land has always been central to our identity, sustenance and survival, the future of agriculture is being reshaped by technology. And with it, the destiny of the nation itself is beginning to turn. The commissioning of the AI-powered grain silo depot in Kwekwe by President Emmerson Mnangagwa symbolises Zimbabwe’s commitment to embracing innovation for sustainable development.
As the nation continues to invest in modernising its agricultural infrastructure, the integration of AI and IoT technologies will play a pivotal role in enhancing food security, boosting economic growth, and achieving national development goals. When the President commissioned the f i rst-ever AI-powered grain silos in Kwekwe, it wasn’t just an act of infrastructure development, but a bold declaration of a new era.
The AI-powered silos are proof that we are walking the talk. For a nation that has endured seasons of drought and f l uctuating markets, they represent a promise that no matter the weather, the harvest will not go to waste. By adopting advanced technologies in agriculture, the Government is enhancing effi ciency, reducing losses and ensuring food sovereignty. The realisation of Vision 2030 depends on the adoption of technology across all sectors. The Kwekwe facility is a technological marvel. The Kwekwe silo depot boasts a storage capacity of 56 000 tonnes, featuring high-tech silos equipped with AI-driven systems.
These systems monitor critical parameters such as temperature, humidity, moisture levels, and carbon dioxide in real-time, ensuring optimal storage conditions and preserving grain quality. The facility’s automated environmental adjustments and climate control mechanisms enhance energy efficiency and minimise spoilage. The Kwekwe AI-depot is part of a broader US$500 million Government initiative to modernise 21 Grain Marketing Board (GMB) depots across Zimbabwe. This ambitious project aims to increase the national strategic grain reserve capacity from 650 000 tonnes to approximately 1,4 million tonnes, adding 784 000 tonnes , which is a game-changer.
The expansion is critical for cushioning the country against droughts, stabilising food prices and minimising post-harvest losses ensuring a comfortable upper-middle-income economy. The strategic placement of these modernised silos in key agricultural regions, including Beitbridge, Gwanda, Lupane, Gokwe, Masvingo, and Timber Mills in Mutare, aligns with the Government’s devolution agenda. By bringing storage facilities closer to farming communities, transportation costs are reduced, and farmers are encouraged to increase production.
For instance, prior to the Kwekwe facility, farmers had to transport grain to Chegutu, incurring costs exceeding US$600 per 30-tonne trip. No longer should it be strange or even an amazing phenomenon that machines and algorithms are protecting the fruit of our soils. In that convergence, of machines, algorithms and human beings, lies the brilliance of smart agriculture. Adopting the latest technologies in agriculture has become the thing to do for sustainable success. Powered by data, driven by precision, and responsive to real-time changes in soil, climate, and pests, this new wave of farming offers solutions that were once out of reach.
Technology empowers farmers to see beyond what their eyes can grasp, to predict rainfall, monitor plant health with satellite imagery and measure moisture levels to the decimal point. Every seed planted under such guidance carries the weight of careful calculation and the hope of a fuller harvest. For years, Zimbabwe’s economy has been bartered by the illegal sanctions imposed on the country by the West, teetering precariously on the edges of uncertainty but agriculture has remained its heartbeat. It feeds millions, employs the majority, and anchors rural communities. But traditional methods have struggled to keep up with the pace of climate change, land degradation, and population growth.
The scars of El Niño, of late rains and early frosts, all the vagaries of weather continue to threaten farmers and disrupting markets. Smart agriculture arrives not as a silver bullet, but as a deliberate, intelligent pivot toward sustainable abundance. Technology in the form of drones, apps, sensors and AI systems are presenting opportunities where agriculture becomes not just a way to survive, but a frontier for innovation and entrepreneurship. With proper training, young Zimbabweans can operate drones that monitor hectares in minutes, analyse crop data from smartphones and use cloud-based platforms to market produce directly to buyers.
Agriculture is no longer the relic of past generations, it is becoming a digital career path, buzzing with potential. At the same time, the promise of smart agriculture is not just about growing more food, it’s about growing an economy. With better yields and protected harvests, Zimbabwe can feed itself more reliably and reduce dependency on imports. But more than that, it can export. High-quality, traceable, and sustainably produced goods have a place in premium markets abroad. The potential to turn maize, wheat, fruits, and flowers into value-added exports is immense, especially when AI tools ensure quality control and transparency throughout the production chain.
The impact ripples outward. More stable and predictable agriculture reduces price shocks for consumers. It lowers the risk for banks to lend to farmers, increasing access to credit. It attracts foreign investors who see in Zimbabwe not a nation on its knees, but one ready to leap forward, driven by technology and rooted in tradition. Rural women, who form the backbone of farming communities, stand to gain greater autonomy through access to mobile platforms that offer real-time advice and direct payment systems.
Smart agriculture, if implemented inclusively, is a tool for equitable and sustainable development. And yet, for all its potential, this transformation is not guaranteed. The road ahead is filled with real challenges. The cost of AI systems and digital tools is often out of reach for the average smallholder farmer. Many still lack access to electricity, let alone internet connectivity. And digital literacy — how to interpret data, use apps, or trust machines over instinct — remains uneven across the population. Without deliberate efforts to bridge these divides, smart agriculture could risk deepening inequalities rather than solving them.
But Zimbabwe is not without allies. The Government has shown intent — not only through infrastructure like the Kwekwe silos but also through policy frameworks that support innovation, rural electrification, enabling the adoption of solar energy at a grand scale. Partnerships between ministries, universities, and the private sector are beginning to bear fruit, from research on climate-smart seeds to mobile-based extension services that bring agronomic advice to even the remotest homestead. Programmes like Pfumvudza/Intwasa have laid important foundations, proving that small, climate-resilient plots can produce remarkable results when supported correctly.
As this movement grows, so too does Zimbabwe’s chance to lead not just nationally but regionally. If we are to continue on this path, Zimbabwe could become the hub for agri-tech development in Southern Africa, a place where ideas are born, tested, and exported alongside produce. Soon enough, our narrative will not be of a nation weathering hardship but that of a country setting the pace for a continental agricultural renaissance.
To reach Vision 2030, Zimbabwe must weave this momentum into every level of its development. It must think of agriculture not just as food production but as a cornerstone of industry, technology, education, and public health. It must treat farmers not as mere tillers of land but as digital citizens and innovators. It must recognise that technology in agriculture is not the loss of tradition but the continuation of it guided by wisdom, elevated by data and focused on survival and success. The land still remembers the years of hunger. But now let it also remember the hum of drones, the glow of data screens in rural extension offices and the AIgrain silos. Our crops should now grow not just with sun and water, but with knowledge, technology, and belief in a bright future.