Situation Update
According to the Second Round Crops, Livestock and Fisheries Assessment (CLAFA-2, 2025), Zimbabwe’s agricultural sector has shown significant improvement, with overall cereal production totaling 2,928,206 metric tons. This surge can be attributed to favorable weather patterns along with increased planting of maize (a rise of 6.4%) and more resilient crops like pearl millet (an increase of 29%). Although the country as a whole expects a grain surplus between 811,732 metric tons and 1,225,732 metric tons, certain areas still face shortages necessitating external aid, indicating ongoing local discrepancies (CLAFA-2, 2025). These positive developments highlight the effectiveness of strategies adapted for changing climates; however, specific measures continue to be essential in bridging food supply inequalities across regions.
In terms of economics, Zimbabwe experienced an annual inflation rate of 85.7% as of April 2025, accompanied by a 0.6% increase in local currency pricing each month. However, inflation measured in US dollars stayed relatively modest at 0.2% monthly. The FAO Food Price Index increased by 1% during the same period due to escalating costs for cereals, dairy products, and meats; nonetheless, this figure still stands 19.9% lower than its highest point recorded in 2022. Concurrently, the Food Poverty Line was set at ZWG 862.06 per individual, whereas the Total Consumption Poverty Line stood at ZWG 1,263.41, highlighting persistent challenges related to living expenses even amid signs of improvement within agriculture.
Highlights
In US dollar terms, the monthly inflation increased slightly to 0.2%, rising from 0.1%. On an annual basis, however, the inflation stood at 14.4% for April 2025. When measured in local currency, the monthly inflation climbed to 0.6% from -0.1% recorded in March 2025 as reported by RBZ.
The seasonal rainfall performance has shown varied conditions yet ultimately ended on an optimistic note, as the nation anticipates excess agricultural output (WFP Monitoring).
The CLAFA-2 report noted certain enhancements in crops, livestock, and pastures throughout the nation attributed to substantial rainfall in regions that typically produce surpluses as well as those facing deficits.
Cornmeal was present in approximately 85% of both rural and urban marketplaces. The availability of other tracked food items was typically found across most markets as well (WFP Monitoring).
The cost of food in global markets rose by 1%, as indicated by the FAO Price Index, which recorded a value of 128.3 points.
The prices for the tracked essentials—both food and non-food items—in US dollars and Zimbabwean dollars stayed constant across urban and rural areas as of April 2025, according to WFP monitoring data from March 2025.
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