Smallholder Agriculture Cluster Project- SACP

07/05/2026

Mabhikwa Village Business Unit has brought transformation to smallholder farmers in the area. Follow this link to learn more..

MABHIKWA VBU

05/05/2026

Procurement Notice... Remedial Works for irrigation schemes. Smallholder Agriculture Cluster Project
Loan No./Credit No./ Grant No.:2000003764
Reference No. (as per 2026 Procurement Plan)
The Government of Zimbabwe has received financing from IFAD towards the cost of the Smallholder Agriculture Cluster Project (SACP), and intends to apply a part of the proceeds of the financing to procure works as detailed in the table below. The Smallholder Agriculture Cluster Project (SACP), Project Management Unit (PMU) invites sealed bids and endorsed on the outside with the advertised Reference Number from interested and qualified bidders. For more details, visit our website through the following link:.....

23/04/2026

Protecting our environment is protecting our people....The Environemntal Management Agency this week handed over grass cutters to farmers at Mug Ivhuinhaka in Murehwa District of Mashonaland East, for use in making fire guards.

Fire guards are important because they help prevent fires from spreading, protect lives and property, and safeguard community investments and natural resources. In rural and farming areas, they also reduce the risk of veld fires damaging crops, grazing land, wetlands, and water catchments. Under SACP, this will ensure the safety of all the investments made by SACP.

The recently rehabilitated scheme, also plans to fence off one of the wetlands that serves as the biggest catchment area for its water source, Mug Ivhuinhaka Dam catchment.

23/04/2026

Building resilience, one gabion at a time...Farmers at Nyamashuku Village Business Unit in Mutoko are building gabions that will protect part of the unit from being washed away by rainwater.
Gully reclamation is important because it helps stop soil loss, protects fertile farmland, and prevents runoff from washing away crops, nutrients, and topsoil. It also improves water quality, reduces damage to roads and other infrastructure, and makes farmland more productive and easier to manage.

The activity is a collaboration between SACP, Mutoko Rural District Council which transported the stones and the Department of Mechanisation and Farm Infrastructure in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Zim and the farmers who dug the required trenches and filled in mesh wires. Similar works are ongoing at Karimazondo VBU in the same district.

22/04/2026

Today’s change-makers, tomorrow’s leaders...The Smallholder Agriculture Cluster is establishing 5 Youth Village Business Units in its provinces of operation. In the picture, farmers receive materials from the supplier for the establishment of Donani Youth VBU in Mhondoro Ngezi District

22/04/2026

Cooking demonstrations have played a significant role in bridging the gap in providing practical skills in the preparations of diverse and nutritious foods using locally available foods. This has significantly improved the uptake of neglected underutilized foods. Also cooking demos have contributed to reduced costs of preparing nutritious foods through the use of community tailored recipes.

This week, cooking demonstrations were held in different districts which include Binga, Mt Darwin, Sanyati and Shamva. The demonstrations used locally available ingredients, encouraging communities to prepare nutritious dishes using available ingredients .

22/04/2026

....The Smallholder Agriculture Cluster Project is exhibiting at the ongoing 2026 edition of the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair. Zimbabwe's premier exhibition, running under the theme, ""Connected Economies, Competitive Industries" is running from the 20th to the 25th of April 2026. The project is exhibiting under the of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Zim. Under exhibition this year are traditional grains from Binga and Hwange districts as well as produce from Mabhikwa and Jabatshaba Village Business Units.

16/04/2026

A demonstration plot for sorghum hosted in Mutoko District. The project is demonstrating the cultivation of drought tolerant and nutritious crops to address hidden hunger in the communities and the country.

15/04/2026

The Smallholder Agriculture Cluster Project and the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Zim are co-hosting a national consultative workshop on farmer group formalisation. The national consultation workshop follows cluster level smallholder farmer consultations in Matabeleland North, Midlands, Mashonaland West, Mashonaland East and Mashonaland Central. The Director for Strategic Policy, Monitoring and Evaluation in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Mrs Louisa Makumbe who was the guest speaker said, "This gathering comes at a critical time when we are working to strengthen the organization, voice, and sustainability of our farmers, particularly smallholder farmers who remain central to our agricultural transformation agenda.Farmer groups play a vital role in improving production, enhancing market access, fa-cilitating training, strengthening bargaining power, and enabling participation in value chains. However, many of these groups operate informally, which limits their ability to enter contracts, access finance, qualify for support programs, and engage fully with markets and institutions. Formalization therefore is not just an administrative exercise; it is a strategic step toward empowerment, accountability, and long-term resilience." Mrs Makumbe also noted the farmer groups present opportunities for farmers to;

• Access markets and negotiate better terms.
• Open bank accounts and manage group finances transparently.
• Sign contracts and participate in structured value chains.
• Access government programs, extension services, and development support.
• Build credibility with private sector actors, financiers, and development partners.
She noted that " formalisation must be affordable, simple, and farmer-friendly. If registration processes are too costly, complex, or centralized, they may exclude the very farmers we seek to support. Our policy recommendations must therefore balance regulation with inclusiveness." Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Zim International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)

03/04/2026

Mushando APG from Rushinga District hosted a sorghum field day recently. Sorghum has proved to be a lucrative crop for smallholder farmers in the area, owing to its climate resilience during droughts and has become a perfect drought mitigatory measure in the drought prone district. Sorghum is one of the value chains promoted by the Smallholder Agriculture Cluster Project which seeks to build climate resilience and increase incomes among smallholder farmers.

02/04/2026

The Smallholder Agriculture Cluster Project in Mhondoro District, this week held a field day at at Banalands Farm. The event, which was hosted by Shuviro Agriculture Producer Group was attended by the AGRITEX District Agriculture Extension Officer
Mrs Marumbwa and other Agricultural and Business Advisory Officers. Development partner, CYMMIT which is implementing the FARM P3 project which promotes labour saving and processing technology for traditional grains under SACP was also there to show case the auger as a climate smart small machinery that can be used for holing . The Ministry of Woman Affairs, Community Development, Small and Medium Enterprises assisted coordinated a cooking demos, held alongside the event. Agro-dealers also attended the event,