Story by Owen Mandovha
THE Zimbabwe Agricultural Development Trust (ZADT) has strengthened its role as a key enabler of youth and women-led enterprises, providing vital capital for agro-based ventures and bridging critical funding gaps in the sector.
During its annual stakeholders meeting held in Harare this Thursday, ZADT showcased its achievements in supporting government empowerment programmes, highlighting success stories of businesses transitioning from incubation to fully operational enterprises.
“Sweden has been working with ZADT for a long time to support young people and women who have demonstrated huge potential to transform the agricultural sector. This year, we have seen various youths-owned businesses coming out of incubation to be fully fledged businesses,” Swedish Embassy’s Deputy Head of Development Corporation, Ms Emilli Perez said.
“The British Embassy fully supports the Government of Zimbabwe’s policy of youth empowerment hence this partnership with ZADT ideally meets our mandate of development,” British Embassy’s Deputy Ambassador, Ms Joanne Abbott noted.
ZADT Chief Executive Officer, Mr Godfrey Chinoera highlighted how his organisation has successfully plugged the funding gap for youths with highly bankable project.
“ZADT understands the predicament faced by innovators and entrepreneurs to advance their ideas hence our mandate is to provide the much needed capital to these businesses and this conference today marks yet another productive year where we have seen businesses in the agricultural sector blossoming.”
Guest of honour at the conference, the Minister of Youth Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training, Honourable Tino Machakaire applauded the tripartite efforts of these organisations saying it is testament to how Government’s policies of empowerment are enjoying multi stakeholder support.
“The Government of Zimbabwe appreciates what the ZADT and its partners are doing to support our entrepreneurs as a way of creating jobs and we are indeed grateful to what ZADT has so far done because the Government cannot achieve this alone but with many other partners like the ZADT to fully empower young people,” he said.
The Zimbabwe Agricultural Development Trust (ZADT) was founded in 2010 to facilitate access to finance in the agricultural sector as an impact lender.
