The government’s efforts of turning the country’s economy into an upper middle class economy by
2030 is gaining momentum, especially in the dry region of Matebeleland North province which has
experienced some of the harshest weather over the years leading to a food deficit in many
households.
Hopefully this will be a thing of the past as the government has now introduced Small Holder
Agriculture Cluster Project in the Province, focusing on boosting food production for the small holder
farmers.
The SACP project seeks to increase agriculture production, especially by smallholder farmers which
enhances food and nutrition security, income, increased opportunities
The US$67,4 million project has the financial backing of the International Funds for Agriculture
Development (IFAD) which is providing US$35.7 million, OFID US$15 million, private sector US$7,2
million, smallholder agricultural production groups (APGs) US$4.2 million with the government
chipping in with US$5.4 million towards the project.
In an interview, the Project Coordinator Dr Godfrey Nehanda said the project is targeting a value
chain development, particularly on the small holder farmers.
“We want to bring small holder farmer to the main stream economy by commercialising and
transforming them, from subsistence agriculture to commercial agriculture,” he said.
The project has three main components, the first one is about value chain development which
addresses the country’s gaps in small holder –based value chain organisation which result in low
production and low farmer incomes.
“The main constrain that farmers face is finance, so this project is providing finance in the form of
matching grants to small farmers who are organised in agriculture producer groups. The money can
be used to buy things like tractors and the idea is to make sure that production increases in the small
holder sector,” said Dr Nehanda.
“The grants that we are providing are in the form of USD$25 000 and farmers are supposed to match
that amount by providing 10 percent of that amount. For the micron small and medium enterprise,
we are providing grants up to a maximum of USD$30 000 and to the bigger enterprises we are
providing loans up to USD$62 500,” he said.
The second component is focusing of infrastructural development, such as irrigation schemes.
“We are identifying irrigation schemes and providing capacity for rehabilitation. We are increasing
domestic water supply and doing water sanitation works where we are bringing water closer to
communities.
Roads that link to irrigation schemes and markets and to the main road will also be rehabilitated for
the benefit of all farmers and especially the large scale enterprises formed in the area.
The forth component, SAPC will equip the farmers with latest technology.
“In the event of droughts or floods, the project should be able to come in and intervene to make
sure that the activities of the small scale farmers continue unabated.
“We are facing challenges related to climate change not only in Zimbabwe so we are simply saying
we want to put farmers in a position where they are able to continue farming through the adoption
on new technologies and other farming methods such as Pfumvudza /intwasa farming methods,”
said Dr Nehanda.
Meanwhile farmers in Hwange’s Nekabandama ward 12 are optimistic about the Small Holder
Agriculture Cluster Project.
Ward 12 councilor Johannes Tshuma said the SAPC project is an initiative which will change lives of
farmers in rural areas
“This project will help us on the irrigation schemes and refurbishing our boreholes, as farmers we
are looking forward to the project as this will end our miseries when it comes to food security” said
the councilor.
Hwange district is prone to drought which results in the shortage of food for most households in the
district.
“The coming of SAPC will help us as farmers and we have been waiting for such government
initiatives. Most initiatives which come to us farmers usually don’t last but we are hoping SAPC will
succeed since it is a government initiative. We want it to produce positive results for us budding
farmers,” said another who preferred to be called naJuniour.
Frequent droughts, low and erratic rainfall, intermittent floods have negatively affected production
in Matebeleland North Province exposing thousands of people to poverty, food and nutrition
insecurity.
The project is targeting 78 240 beneficiaries in five provinces and 18 districts in Mashonaland
Central, Mashonaland East, Mashonaland West, Midlands and Matabeleland North operating in 428
wards. In Matebeleland Province, the project will reach out to 72 wards in Hwange, Nkayi, Binga and
Lupane.
