The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), in collaboration with the government, the OPEC Fund for International Developme...
The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), in collaboration with the government, the OPEC Fund for International Development, and local farmers, recently finished the execution of the Smallholder Irrigation Revitalisation Programme (SIRP), which restored 5,200 hectares of shared irrigation systems in the provinces of Manicaland, Midlands, Masvingo, and Matabeleland South.
The IFAD country director for Zimbabwe, South Africa, and Namibia, as well as the multi-country office in southern Africa, Francesco Rispoli, shared this information during a speech delivered on his behalf by Joylyn Ndoro, the country consultant liaison in Zimbabwe, at the World Food Day events held at the Matopos Research Institute in Matabeleland South province on Thursday.
The global observance of World Food Day, which aligned with the 80th anniversary of the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization, took place under the theme "Hand in Hand for Better Foods and Better Future."
Rispoli mentioned in Matabeleland South that the effects of the intervention are visible in community irrigation projects like Valley, Silalabuhwa, Makwe, Guyu, Sebasa, Rustlers Gorge, Tshikwalakwala, and Bambanani.
He mentioned that through the SIRP initiative, a total of 35,000 small-scale farmers were involved, with women making up 50% of those who benefited and young people accounting for 30%.
"This is in line with our principles, which are also held by the Government of Zimbabwe and focus on the inclusion of women, young people, and individuals with disabilities, who are frequently neglected," Rispoli stated.
In collaboration with the Government of Zimbabwe, IFAD is currently assisting the Smallholder Agriculture Cluster Project (SACP), which is set to conclude in 2027.
The initiative is engaging small-scale farmers in the provinces of Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, Mashonaland Central, Matabeleland North, and Midlands.
He mentioned that SACP is uniting smallholder farmers into properly managed, effective, and united agricultural producer groups and clusters to encourage their involvement in lucrative value chains and link them to markets.
"In this context, 800 agricultural producer groups are being connected with 200 small and medium enterprises and 40 Value Chain Lead Enterprises to encourage sustainable, market-driven production," Rispoli stated.
The advancement of climate-resilient infrastructure continues to be a key focus, and through SACP, we are developing and making 1,780 hectares suitable for irrigation, setting up 100 village business units, and repairing 89 kilometers of final-mile feeder roads.
He mentioned that through this initiative, they are contacting 78,200 families.
"We have recently initiated a third project, which is also a collaboration between the government of Zimbabwe, IFAD, and OFID, called the Horticulture Enterprise Enhancement Project (HEEP), with a total investment of US$66.55 million," he stated.
Rispoli mentioned that HEEP seeks to boost earnings, food stability, and the empowerment of small-scale farmers involved in lucrative, environmentally friendly horticultural supply chains.
He mentioned that, similar to its sister initiative, SACP, this project also highlights the involvement of women and young people, while placing emphasis on nutrition, climate change, and environmental issues.
"More importantly, HEEP is advocating for a Public-Private-Producer Partnerships approach, designed to establish advantageous collaborations among the public sector, the private sector, and smallholder farmers, with the goal of advancing inclusive horticulture value chain growth," he stated.
HEEP will also make use of prior investments such as the SIRP and SACP.
HEEP's initiatives will be implemented in 20 districts within Matabeleland South, Manicaland, Masvingo, and Midlands provinces, with private sector collaborations expanding nationwide.
Rispoli mentioned that the project will also create 620 village business units and will directly assist 71,000 households.
He mentioned that these initiatives are already supporting the transformation plan by enhancing resilience, boosting efficiency, and promoting equitable development.
