Online Reporter
Agriculture Reporter
ZIMBABWE’S rural landscape is undergoing a profound transformation through pioneering V30 Accelerator Model, an initiative by the Agricultural and Rural Development Authority which places rural development at its core.
With approximately 70 percent of the country’s population relying on agriculture for their livelihoods, the model’s significance and impact is compelling.
ARDA chief executive, Mr Tinotenda Mhiko said under the model, the authority was registering 460 irrigation schemes under 26 000 hectares across eight provinces and the Village Business Units (VBUs) countrywide as companies under the Companies and Other Entities Act.
The companies will then operate as professional agricultural entities.
“This not only unlocks strong balance sheets but also opens access to both capital expenditure and working capital for these schemes.”
This approach converts smallholder farmers from subsistence producers into empowered economic actors, giving rural communities a stake in their own growth.
The V30 model reframes traditional subsistence farming into dynamic, commercially oriented enterprises.
“Smallholder farmers are equipped with solar‑powered irrigation, professional business‑management training and structured shareholder frameworks, ensuring that rural communities become active investors in their own economic destinies.
“Under this approach, irrigation schemes function as community enterprises: farmers work as employees during the season and receive dividends from net profits at harvest, cultivating ownership, accountability and entrepreneurial thinking,” he said.
Mr Mhiko highlighted that the broader economic impact was rural agro-industrialisation, which in turn spurred rural development from value addition and beneficiation opportunities presented.
“The model also dictates that production be done on a block basis rather than individual farmers doing different crops to address the issue of economies of scale and de-risk crop failure due to segregated management.
“A resident VBU coordinator is employed for each unit to hand-hold farmers on the technical aspects of agronomy, right up to marketing. All crop production is done on the back of a profitable business case and a guaranteed supply market,” he said.
Among its expected impact, the VBUs are expected to establish 49 468 hectares of horticultural crops, creating employment for 692 552 (197 872 being youths and women).
“A gross and net income of US$1, 424 billion and US$445, 212 million is expected annually respectively.
“The VBUs are expected to enhance food and nutrition security, cause growth in export earnings (15 percent), increase provincial gross domestic product (GDP) and enhance financial inclusion,” he said.
The model is expected to support 1.8 million rural household beneficiaries.
VBUs concept has economies of scale, access to resources, market power, risk sharing and training and support among its benefits.
Among established VBUs are Marira and Mangwe Makororo.
“At Mangwe Makororo VBU 150 households are undertaking production of tomatoes, spinach, cabbage, onion and rape while they have fish in their ponds.
“Total annual production is 80 tonnes of crops and annual dividend per household is US$684,” said Mr Mhiko.
