Source: AfDB’s US$10million grant to strengthen rural communities – herald
Business Reporter
THE African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved a US$10 million grant from its African Development Fund to boost sustainable agricultural production and strengthen resilience in rural communities, particularly in drought-prone regions.
Agricultural experts believe that the grant is among initiatives that will build resilience within livestock and small-scale farmers.On its part, the Government has been championing programmes such as Pfumvudza/Intwasa, which have helped to mitigate against the impact of climate as well as boost yields in rural communities.
According to the AfDB, the project is expected to directly benefit 7 000 livestock farmers and 42 000 smallholder/crop farmers in Zimbabwe.
The African Development Fund is the group’s concessional lending arm, which supports the continent’s most vulnerable countries.
The project will be implemented in three provinces — Matabeleland South, Masvingo and Bulawayo — targeting areas with high livestock populations that are vulnerable to harsh weather patterns.
According to AfDB, the impacts of climate change in Zimbabwe, including floods, droughts and tropical storms, continue to affect the most vulnerable rural population.“This investment represents a critical intervention to build climate resilience and improve food security in Zimbabwe’s most vulnerable agricultural communities,” said Mrs Moono Mupotola, AfDB’s deputy director-general for Southern Africa and country manager for Zimbabwe.
“By rehabilitating existing infrastructure and introducing climate-smart agricultural practices, the project will transform livelihoods in areas that have historically suffered from drought and limited access to water resources.”
The project’s primary focus is on climate-smart agricultural productivity and value chain enhancement, which includes rehabilitating dip tanks, developing solar-powered boreholes and supporting crop-livestock value chains to enhance food and nutrition security.
It is also targeted at building rural communities’ livelihoods and resilience to climate change to support integrated land use planning, landscape restoration and catchment management to improve water security.
In addition, it includes capacity building, social inclusion and knowledge management to enhance technical skills, promote gender equality and foster youth empowerment, as well as project management to ensure efficient implementation and alignment with the African Development Bank’s rules and procedures.
The project will directly benefit 7 000 livestock-keeping farmers and 42 000 smallholder/crop farmers, with a strong emphasis on the inclusion of women (50 percent) and youth (20 percent).
Additionally, 90 000 community members will indirectly benefit from improved water supply, veterinary services and livelihood programmes.The project is expected to create 2 000 full-time and 2 800 seasonal jobs along the crop and livestock value chains, with average monthly household income projected to increase from US$85 to US$120.
Implementation is scheduled to commence this month, with completion anticipated by December 2029.
Agricultural expert Mr Isaiah Mapfumo said farmers should intensify sustainable agriculture practices in order to advance climate-smart agriculture initiatives, which feed into the broader climate change mitigation, implementation and adaptation programmes.“The country remains vulnerable to changes in the climate system, with the situation compounded by limited climate knowledge among citizens and over-reliance on climate-sensitive sectors such as energy, agriculture, forestry and water resources,” he said.
“Therefore, continued support from development financiers will go a long way in capacitating the most vulnerable to adopt smart agricultural practices.”
The AfDB has played a critical role in supporting Zimbabwe’s rural development by making sustained investments, which have helped reduce food insecurity and poverty.
“This project will enhance adaptive capacity, promote sustainable economic opportunities and strengthen the resilience of rural communities to climate change within the target areas,” said Mr Martin Fregene, director of the AfDB’s Agriculture and Agro-Industry Department.
Zimbabwe Farmers Union executive director Mr Paul Zacharia recently emphasised the need to mitigate the effects of climate change.
“Therefore, investment must go towards irrigation, and smallholder farmers should be encouraged to buy small irrigation equipment that can be moved from one field to another, and the farmers will be able to produce all year round, which speaks to food security,” he said.
Seed Co Limited recently indicated that it was investing more in drought-tolerant maize seed varieties.
Climate change is making droughts more frequent and severe globally, threatening food security.In 2020, Zimbabwe launched a US$47 million seven-year project with the support of the Green Climate Fund and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) aimed at strengthening the climate resilience of vulnerable communities.
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