Oscar J Jeke- Zim Now Reporter
The African Development Bank has approved a US$10.12 million grant aimed at strengthening sustainable agricultural production and resilience in Zimbabwe’s drought-prone regions, with an estimated 49,000 farmers set to benefit.
The Zimbabwe Agricultural Value Chain and Livelihoods Enhancement Project, funded through the African Development Fund, will be implemented across Matabeleland South, Masvingo, and Bulawayo Metropolitan Province. These regions are home to some of the country’s most vulnerable smallholder and livestock-keeping farming communities.
According to AfDB, the initiative will directly benefit 7 000 livestock-keeping farmers and 42 000 crop farmers. Women are expected to make up 50% of the beneficiaries, while youth will account for 20%.
The project will focus on climate-smart agricultural practices and value chain development. Key interventions include the rehabilitation of dip tanks to support animal health, installation of solar-powered boreholes to address chronic water shortages, and improved crop-livestock integration to increase productivity.
“This project is designed to tackle both climate and economic vulnerabilities. By boosting resilience, we are also enhancing food and nutrition security in some of Zimbabwe’s hardest-hit areas,” said a statement from the AfDB. “The project’s primary focus is on climate-smart agricultural productivity and value chain enhancement, which includes rehabilitating dip tanks, developing solar-powered boreholes, and supporting crop-livestock value chains”
Other components include land use planning, catchment restoration, and the development of inclusive market access strategies. The programme also aims to create 200 full-time and 2,800 seasonal jobs while increasing the average monthly income for beneficiary households from US$85 to US$120.
Implementation of the five-year project is scheduled to begin in June 2025 and run until December 2029.
The AfDB described the grant as a critical investment in Zimbabwe’s agricultural sector, one that will help farmers cope with recurring droughts while laying the foundation for long-term economic sustainability in rural communities.
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