Communities in Umzingwane District, Matabeleland South, are beginning to record tangible improvements in household incomes and food security following the establishment of village business units (VBUs) along the Umzingwane Dam pipeline.
The initiative, implemented under the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), has eased long-standing challenges related to water access and climate variability. For years, households living near the pipeline struggled to irrigate crops despite being close to a major water source.
Eight VBUs have been established along the pipeline as part of a broader district programme aimed at transforming smallholder agriculture from subsistence-level production into a viable economic enterprise.
At Mlomoliwotho Village, the local VBU has enabled farmers to shift towards organised and commercially oriented production, supported by improved infrastructure.
VBU Chairperson, Hloniphani Moyo, said the programme had significantly empowered communities.
“Last year we grew sugar beans, and we made money, and we have been empowered; we are now operating this VBU as a business entity. Of course, we had a challenge with water pressure last year, but now we have Jojo tanks and solar,” he said.
Community members said the benefits had extended beyond crop production, helping households withstand climate shocks and improving overall wellbeing.
“We are so happy with what the Government has done for us; we are now food secure,” one resident said.
“With climate change, this is the answer to our challenges; we are now able to send our children to school,” another beneficiary added.
Ncube further said the district now has 23 VBUs, 11 of which are operating at full capacity.
“As we move into NDS2, our main thrust in these VBUs is to move into cash crops which will enhance the communities’ lives, develop them and also make them food secure. We are happy to report that of the 23 VBUs in the district, 11 are fully functional, and eight are along the Umzingwane Dam pipeline. We feel our communities have been empowered,” he said.
Matabeleland South Province, which pioneered the VBU concept after President Emmerson Mnangagwa launched the Jinjika Presidential Rural Horticulture Scheme in 2022, now hosts more than 140 VBUs, transforming the region into an emerging greenbelt.
