ARDA is a parastatal established in terms of the ARDA Act [Chapter 18.01], 1982, and is under the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development.
In terms of Section 18 (2) of this Act, ARDA is mandated as follows:
1. Plan, coordinate, implement, promote, and assist agricultural development in Zimbabwe.
2. Implement schemes for the betterment of agriculture in any part of Zimbabwe.
3. Plan, promote, coordinate, and carry out schemes for the development, exploitation, utilization, settlement, or disposition of state land.
4. Any other functions and duties which may be imposed upon the Authority by any enactment.
ARDA was restructured and its mandate was expanded in January 2021 to become a vehicle for National Food, Feed, Fibre, Biofuels, and Seed Security as well as Spearheading Rural Development and Industrialization. The mandate is anchored on the Agriculture, Food Systems, and Rural Transformation Strategy, Rural Development 8.0 Model, and dovetails into the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS 1) and Vision 2030 Blueprints.