The African Development Fund has given Zimbabwe a $10.12 million grant to help farmers in dry regions. The fund, run by the African Development Bank Group, will back a farming project in three provinces: Matabeleland South, Masvingo, and Bulawayo. The money will help 7,000 livestock farmers and 42,000 crop farmers, with half being women.
The project starts in June 2025 and runs until late 2029. It will fix cattle dip tanks, build solar-powered water wells, and help farmers get their goods to market more easily. These steps are needed in places where rain is scarce and farmers struggle to water their crops and animals. The project will also teach better land use methods to save water.
Zimbabwe has faced money problems and bad weather like floods and droughts. The project aims to raise monthly earnings from $85 to $120 for farm families. It will create 200 full-time jobs and about 2,800 seasonal jobs in farming work. Young people will make up 20% of those helped, bringing new blood into farming.
In total, about 90,000 people in these areas will gain from better water access, animal health services, and new ways to earn money. The project will teach farming skills and make sure women have equal chances to take part. The African Development Bank will watch over the work to make sure it’s done well.
Farming matters a lot to Zimbabwe. It makes up 17% of the country’s $36 billion economy, based on World Bank figures from 2025. Even more important, farming gives jobs to 70% of people, creates 40% of export money, and supplies raw materials to factories across the country.
