Zimbabwe has experienced four major droughts (in 19821984, 19861987, 19911992, 19941995 and 2002-2003). During some of these drought years, Zimbabwe produced its highest yield of tobacco, flowers and other non food crops for export, which offset the importation of food. The governments Grain Marketing Board (GMB) even managed to export grain during two drought years.
Zimbabwes population has risen from just over 7 million at Independence in 1980 to more than 13 million in 2009, yet overall cereal and grain production has declined.
The rain patterns of Southern Africa are influenced by the same weather system the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone ITCZ. Why then are all our neighbouring countries expecting bumper grain harvests and Zimbabwe, in the middle, blames successive droughts?