Mechanized Sorghum Threshing Pilot Aims To Unlock Farmer Incomes And Strengthen Market Linkages In Zimbabwe

28 February 2026, Zimbabwe: Sorghum is one of Zimbabwe’s most important drought-resilient crops, anchoring food security in many semi-arid districts. Yet after harvest, up to 30 percent of grain can be lost during labour-intensive manual threshing, limiting farmer incomes and undermining reliable supply to structured markets. 

To address this challenge, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and CIMMYT have launched a collaborative pilot under the Food and Agriculture Resilience Mission, Pillar 3 (FARM P3). The Zimbabwe pilot focuses on sorghum post-harvest mechanization, particularly mobile threshing services that reduce grain losses, improve quality, and strengthen linkages between farmers, offtakers, and financial institutions. 

Tackling a major post-harvest bottleneck

Manual threshing is physically demanding, time-consuming, and often results in poor grain quality and lower marketable output. The initiative is testing mechanized threshing options in high-potential sorghum-producing districts including Binga, Hwange, Zvimba, Sanyati and Muzarabani. 

Evidence shared during the Zimbabwe launch indicates that mobile threshers can reduce post-harvest losses to as low as 3–5 percent, saving up to 180 kg of grain per hectare and increasing farmer income by approximately 12 percent under typical smallholder conditions. The pilot aligns closely with Zimbabwe’s national priorities around post-harvest loss management. Eng. Nhlanhla Magama from the Department of Agricultural Engineering and Mechanization noted during the launch that the country is placing renewed focus on “the development of Postharvest and Loss Management” as part of its evolving mechanization policy direction. 

A key focus is ensuring that mechanization operates as a sustainable rural business model, not a one-off equipment investment, but a service-based enterprise embedded in local market systems. As highlighted in the launch discussions, “Mechanization drives agricultural transformation” but it also “requires systems, skills, and partnerships, not just machines.” 

FARM P3 will assess at least 16 equipment cases for return on investment and adoption potential, while identifying and validating around 50 potential mechanization service providers together with sorghum offtakers and financial institutions. 

These service providers, including youth, lead farmers and agribusiness groups, will receive tailored support on costing, service operations, and market linkages. 

Mobile threshing also presents an enterprise opportunity. The launch participants noted the “strong potential for youth and cooperative enterprises,” with service providers able to recover investment costs within one to two seasons under viable business conditions. 

Linking farmers, markets and rural finance

The FARM P3 pilot complements the IFAD-funded Smallholder Agriculture Cluster Project (SACP), which works to increase incomes by linking smallholder farmers to climate-smart market value chains through Agribusiness Partnership Groups, matching grants, and financial services.

By working closely with offtakers and participating financial institutions, the pilot also helps de-risk investment in mechanization.  For financial institutions, the pilot reduces uncertainty by generating evidence on equipment performance, return on investment, and service provider viability, creating a stronger basis for rural credit decisions. 

With direct support of US$320,000 in Zimbabwe, FARM P3 aims to reach 6,000 farmers between June 2025 and June 2026. The pilot is expected to reduce post-harvest losses, improve grain quality, create jobs for rural youth, and strengthen sorghum market systems that work better for farmers and buyers alike. 

Implemented jointly by CIMMYT, with technical expertise on mechanization and service provider models, in close collaboration with SACP and private sector actors, the initiative offers a practical example of how mechanization, inclusive business approaches and rural finance can unlock better incomes and resilience for smallholder farmers. 

 As Zimbabwe advances its post-harvest loss management and mechanization agenda, this partnership offers a practical pathway to more efficient, inclusive, and commercially viable sorghum markets, delivering higher incomes and greater resilience for rural communities. 

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