Online Reporter
Patrick Chitumba, [email protected]
A US$66,5 million agricultural initiative meant to directly benefit over 50 000 households in the Midlands, Matabeleland South, Manicaland and Masvingo provinces was launched in Gweru yesterday.
The Horticulture Enterprise Enhancement Project (Heep) will establish 620 village business units (VBUs) while enhancing the 4Ps model (Public, Private and Producers Partnerships), as well as enabling smallholder farmers to engage in commercial markets.
Jointly funded by the Government of Zimbabwe (US$5,2 million), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (Ifad – US$37,1 million), and the Opec Fund for International Development (Ofid – US$15 million), the initiative is expected to improve the beneficiaries’ livelihoods.
The first phase of the project will benefit Gwanda, Mangwe, Beitbridge, Insiza and Matobo farmers in Matabeleland South province.
In Manicaland, farmers in Chimanimani, Chipinge, Makoni, Mutasa and Nyanga will be the first beneficiaries while in Masvingo, farmers in Gutu, Chiredzi, Zaka, Masvingo, Mwenezi will also benefit from the first phase.
In Midlands, the first beneficiaries will be farmers from Gweru, Chirumhanzu, Mberengwa, Zvishavane and Shurugwi.
The project is expected to help Zimbabwe produce higher quality horticultural products and reverse foreign import dominance, which drains limited foreign currency resources.
Chief director in charge of business, development markets and trade in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Mr Clemence Bwenje, said the launch of Heep in the Midlands Province follows a development journey characterised by rigorous planning, stakeholder engagement and collaborative efforts dating back to 2021.
“The roadmap began with a comprehensive assessment of our horticultural sector’s strengths, challenges, and opportune areas for investment,” he told the gathering, which included representatives of different Government ministries, departments, the private sector, development partners and farmers’ representatives.
“It involved extensive consultations with key stakeholders, including farmers, agribusinesses, local communities and development partners.”
Mr Bwenje said the launch marks a significant milestone in the journey to transform the horticultural sector into an engine of the agriculture sector and the economy at large.
“The horticulture sector must re-occupy its position as the fastest growing sector and second foreign currency earner to effectively play its part in driving Vision 2030,” he said.
“Our shared objective is to work together towards transforming the horticulture sector into a robust engine for growth. Each stakeholder has a crucial role to play and it is through our collective efforts that we can bring about significant changes in our agricultural landscape.”
Mr Bwenje said the horticulture sector was a livelihoods enterprise with potential to generate over US$2,5 billion in annual revenue and creating approximately 600 000 direct jobs.
He said the sector holds immense promise for the nation’s prosperity and immense promise for the Midlands, Manicaland, Masvingo and Matabeleland South provinces, in particular.
“Through the Heep, we are on a mission to cultivate a dynamic horticultural sector that contributes significantly to Zimbabwe’s economic growth and development, leaving no one behind in the Midlands, Manicaland, Masvingo and Matabeleland South Provinces,” he said.
Government views the Heep initiative as a strategic measure designed to elevate horticulture as a central driver of national economic growth.
Giving an overview of the project, Heep national project coordinator Mr Pedzisayi Nemadziva said the project will improve rural livelihoods, enhance food security, and increase foreign exchange earnings.
“Heep has three major components VBUs and 4Ps, Mobilisation and Development, access to finance, institutional support and project coordination,” he said.
“We will be establishing the VBUs in the four provinces and we will also be introducing an Export Horticulture Revolving Fund (EHRF) to provide short and medium-term financing, enhancing capacities through targeted capacity-building efforts and public infrastructure investments.”
Mr Nemadziva said Heep will take a two-pronged approach to geographic targeting based on a combination of poverty and nutritional status and potential for commercial horticultural development.
“We will establish 620 VBUs with a size of 1,25 hectares with the aim of increasing income and nutritional outcomes of small holder farmers in the four provinces.
“Heep will establish 155 village horticulture gardens in each of the said provinces providing clean water for household chores as well as for the gardens,” he said.
To ensure that the project succeeds, he said the VBUs will be clustered in wards that are close to fully operational Arda managed irrigation schemes.
Mr Nemadziva said villagers will also benefit from access to improved storage infrastructure and market linkages through the irrigation schemes and other anchor farms or firms.
