The Zimbabwe government’s Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development is offering financial support to farmers, agribusinesses and business development enterprises with good business linkages to smallholder agricultural producers and processors.
The agreement is being done in partnership with the International Fund for Agricultural Development and the Farmers Business Network.
“We are in partnership with International Fund for Agricultural Development and Farmers Business Network to help us fight hunger and poverty,” the ministry said in a statement.
“Ten thousand smallholder farmers, including women-headed households and young people whose livelihoods depend on Farming are also to be part of this programme. This will help reduce rural poverty and food insecurity, which remain a major challenge for the government.
“It aims to increase rural households’ resilience to climate change, and will also help increase production of food. It will support smallholder farmers to identify and undertake appropriate, productive and climate-resilient crop practices suited for arid and semi-arid lands,” it added.
The ministry said in addition, the programme will improve as well as stabilise productivity through the adoption of good agricultural practices, conservation agriculture and better water conservation techniques.
“New business partnerships between smallholder producers and buyers will be promoted. Financing for storage and processing facilities will help to avoid post-harvest losses,” the ministry added.
