Maize (Zea mays) is the staple food in Zimbabwe. However its production is limited by poor adaptation of commercial hybrid varieties to smallholder growing conditions. Presently-grown hybrid varieties were developed under optimum conditions and hence are not adapted to the smallholder farmers’ conditions. This has resulted in yields as low as 300kg/ha in some instances in the smallholder sector which occupies 91% of the semi arid areas of the country. Such low yields are not economically viable when considering the high costs of farm inputs and other production costs. The result has been high incidence of planting of recycled hybrid seed and hence a further decline in productivity, compromising household and national food security. As a result, the national maize program has embarked on the development and evaluation of ecologically-adapted open pollinated varieties (OPVs), which are a better option for the smallholder farmer compared to recycled hybrid seed. Moreover, OPVs have been shown to be more stable under stress conditions than hybrids. In addition, OPVseed can be recycled with minimum yield decline and seed production costs are lower than for hybrids.  In order to identify OPVs that are adapted to the different agro-ecological zones of the country, on-station and on-farm screening of 36 OPVs from the national program and introductions from CIMMYT and other SADC countries was begun in the 2000/01 season. This screening has resulted in the selection of 12 OPVs which are better adapted to the nitrogen deficient soils in the dry target regions of the country. The selected 12 OPVs will be extensively evaluated on farms across the country using the community-based, participatory approach known as the ‘Mother-Baby’ evaluation approach.  The ecologically-adapted OPVs will be identified and community based seed production schemes initiated in order to make seed available to the different communities. Use of the Mother-Baby screening procedure has led to the release of two synthetics, namely, ZM421 and ZM521 for commercial production.  To further develop new OPVs, sixty-five inbred lines and varieties were evaluated across the semi-arid areas of the country after which the best adapted materials were crossed in a diallel fashion. The resultant hybrids and varieties were evaluated and the best combinations were initially used in the formation of two synthetics which will be included in the set of entries to be evaluated using the Mother-Baby scheme starting the 2002/03 summer season. This variety development program is on going and the resultant OPVs/Synthetics will be included in the screening process.