More than 2,300 smallholder irrigation farmers across Zimbabwe are preparing to take a bold step beyond their local fields into the competitive world of global agribusiness. Through a new initiative linking irrigation schemes with private sector buyers, financiers and technology providers, rural farmers are being positioned not just as producers, but as entrepreneurs in a growing climate-smart economy.
Backed by the Government of Zimbabwe, the Green Climate Fund (GCF), and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), this initiative signals a turning point for small-scale farmers in Manicaland, Masvingo and Matabeleland South.
It is part of the seven-year Climate Resilience Livelihoods (CRL) Project, a landmark effort supporting over 2.3 million people to adapt to the intensifying effects of climate change.
At the heart of this transformation lies irrigation the lifeblood of Zimbabwe’s climate-smart agriculture. The programme goes beyond building physical infrastructure; it is creating economic infrastructure. Through a mix of private sector dialogues and farmer learning days, the initiative is opening pathways for collaboration between farmers, agribusinesses, financiers and innovators in green technology.
“These dialogues are a vital step in connecting smallholder irrigation farmers with private sector buyers, financial institutions, and input suppliers,” said Rungano Benza, CRL Project Manager at UNDP Zimbabwe. “By linking production with profitable markets, we are ensuring that farmers can sustainably increase yields, incomes, and resilience.”
The model is both practical and visionary. It brings together farmers, banks, off-takers, insurers and technology providers under one umbrella building a business ecosystem where smallholders can thrive. Through business-to-farmer dialogues, entrepreneurs in the agri-space can explore contract farming, value chain integration and financing opportunities, while look-and-learn field days showcase innovations such as solar-powered irrigation systems, drip technologies and soil and water conservation techniques.
The initiative has also placed gender equity at its core, ensuring that women farmers are not left behind in the pursuit of prosperity. From capacity building to market access, women are being equipped to lead within their irrigation schemes and claim their place in formal agribusiness value chains.
Over 350 participants, representing 2,307 irrigation farmers from 16 schemes across the three provinces, are expected to take part. Among them are local leaders, extension officers and private sector players including banks, microfinance institutions, insurers, input suppliers, off-takers, transporters and climate-technology firms all converging around one shared goal: turning smallholder agriculture into a scalable, investable, and sustainable enterprise.
The expected ripple effects are far-reaching. By strengthening ties with markets and financial systems, smallholder farmers are gaining access to the tools and knowledge needed to increase yields, diversify income and enhance food and water security. The initiative also promotes climate-smart technologies that will make communities more resilient to droughts and erratic rainfall a pressing concern in Zimbabwe’s semi-arid regions.
Beyond the farm gates, this collaborative approach is expected to drive value chain integration, create rural jobs and foster inclusive economic growth. By positioning farmers as key players in sustainable agribusiness, Zimbabwe is advancing its Vision 2030 and National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), both of which aim to modernize agriculture and empower communities through green growth.
The project also aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those focused on food security (SDG 2), gender equality (SDG 5) and climate action (SDG 13). By connecting local producers with regional and global markets, the initiative reinforces the UNDP’s long-standing commitment to inclusive, climate-resilient development, ensuring that no one and no community is left behind.
This partnership-driven approach represents more than a development project; it is a glimpse into the future of African agribusiness one where smallholder farmers evolve into climate entrepreneurs, leveraging technology, finance, and innovation to build livelihoods that endure.
