Story by Panashe Nagoli
GOVERNMENT has secured a US$9.4 million grant from the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) to strengthen rural agriculture and advance national food self-sufficiency amid growing climate challenges.
The grant will finance the Resilient Agriculture Cluster Project, designed to capacitate women, youths and rural communities to conquer the impact of climate change in agriculture.
Speaking on the sidelines of the National Validation Workshop held in Harare this Friday, Chief Director Business Development, Trade and Markets in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Mr Clemence Bwenje, said the initiative is in line with the National Development Strategy Two (NDS2).
“This initiative goes in line with critical pillars of the National Development Strategy 2 and will go a long way in advancing the government’s target of Rural industrialisation,” Mr Bwenje said.
A final report will be tabled for appraisal before the AfDB board in March this year, as the project will run from 2026 to 2030.
“The issue of Rural industrialisation through increased harvests is a matter we are heavily invested in as a bank and we will support Zimbabwe,” AfDB Country Director, Belinda Chisire noted.
The Resilient Agriculture Cluster Project is anchored on three critical pillars, which are Irrigation rehabilitation,smart climate farming and rural value chain expansion.
As such, the International Fund for Agricultural Development believes Zimbabwe can turn climate change effects into opportunities.
“Climate change is no longer a distant threat but a dangerous reality and we must ensure that Agriculture is climate-proofed to ensure maximum productivity,” IFAD Country Director, Francesco Rispoli said.
The initiative is adding onto the successes of the Smallholder Agriculture Cluster Project running from November 2021 to December 2027, a key step in aligning Zimbabwe’s agriculture sector to the international climate proof priority standards.
