Story by Tendai Munengwa
HARARE – GOVERNMENT, in partnership with international financiers, has launched the US$66.5 million Horticulture Enterprise Enhancement Project (HEEP), a transformative initiative aimed at empowering rural smallholder farmers and integrating them into the mainstream horticulture value chain.
The project was officially launched this Wednesday in Harare by the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, drawing participation from a wide range of stakeholders.
The programme is set to support the development of village-based business units (VBUs), particularly in Matabeleland South, Manicaland, Masvingo and Midlands provinces.
Addressing attendees, Deputy Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Honourable Vangelis Haritatos, described HEEP as a critical component in Zimbabwe’s strategy to enhance agricultural productivity and rural livelihoods.
“The HEEP project is a stellar representation of Zimbabwe’s commitment to empowering the horticulture sub sector mainly focusing on bring rural smallholder farmers into producing horticulture crops for local and international markets. Through what we termed aggregation the US$66.5 million fund will see development of village business units in Matabeleland South, Manicaland, Masvingo provinces and Midlands, the VBUs will see farmers grouped around ARDA managed irrigation schemes to efficient resource utilisation,” he said.
The initiative will see smallholder farmers organised into aggregation models that promote collective production and marketing for both local and export markets.
International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Country Representative, Mr Francesco Rispoli, highlighted IFAD’s pivotal role in the project, noting that the fund has committed US$37 million towards the initiative.
“We are working alongside the Government of Zimbabwe and other development partners with a focus on uplifting rural communities. This project is expected to benefit 70 000 rural households,” he said.
HEEP is aligned with the country’s broader Horticulture Recovery and Growth Plan, which targets the development of a US$2.5 billion horticulture sector by 2030 as part of the national Vision 2030 agenda for an upper-middle-income economy.
The project is expected to enhance food security, create employment opportunities, and promote sustainable incomes among rural communities.
