Women are increasingly becoming the driving force behind rural agriculture and food security across Zimbabwe, with community farming initiatives showing how female farmers are strengthening local economies and household livelihoods.
Under the Zimbabwe Resilience Building Fund programme, women now make up between 80 and 90 percent of members in Village Business Units, highlighting their leading role in farming activities within participating communities.
The VBUs bring farmers together to collectively produce and market crops, creating opportunities to boost household incomes while strengthening local food systems.
One of the beneficiaries is Sarudzai, a small-scale farmer and mother of six from Siyakobvu, whose farming journey began in 2017 during the first phase of the programme.
“I joined the programme in 2017 under Phase One and managed to buy two goats,” she said.
Over time, the livestock multiplied and became a reliable source of income for her family.
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“Today my herd has grown and it has become a key source of income that has helped me send all six of my children to school,” Sarudzai said.
At the start of the second phase of the programme, she joined her local Village Business Unit, where she now grows crops and participates in collective farming with other community members.
She said the initiative has strengthened her household’s food production and improved income opportunities.
“I am proud of the strong butternut harvest from last season and I am now looking forward to harvesting from my pawpaw trees,” she said.
Beyond crop production, Sarudzai said the changes have brought lasting improvements to her family’s wellbeing.
“For me these gains mean more than production. They represent real lifestyle changes for my household and a more secure future for my children,” she said.
Across Zimbabwe’s rural communities, women continue to dominate farming activities, sustaining local food systems while building more resilient household economies.
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