The private sector has adopted and intensified the Government’s initiative to drive rural industrialisation and agricultural productivity through the establishment of Village Business Units (VBU), in order to improve food security and promote sustainable livelihoods in rural communities.
Zambuko Primary School in Ward 28, Makoni South has become a beneficiary of a VBU, through a project implemented by Prevail International Group of Companies led by Dr Paul Tungwarara, the VBU includes a solar-powered borehole and drip irrigation systems to support year-round horticultural production. Community members have welcomed the development, citing improved access to water and new opportunities.
A teacher at Zambuko Primary School, Rudo Machingura, said learners are already benefiting from the initiative.
“This project gives our pupils practical agricultural skills while contributing to food production at the school.”
She added that they now had reliable water for gardening and household use, and that the programme would help them produce food throughout the year.
“We now have reliable water for gardening and household use. This programme will help us produce food throughout the year.”
Tawanda Chikore who falls within the youth demography in Makoni, said the initiative would help reduce rural-to-urban migration.
“Young people can now work here, at home, and earn an income. We appreciate the efforts to bring such projects to our community,” he said.
The Zambuko project comes against the backdrop of a nationwide rollout of VBUs, with 604 units already completed and 553 at various stages of development. These initiatives are playing a vital role in improving nutrition and creating employment opportunities, particularly in previously marginalised communities. Across provinces, notable sales have already been recorded, highlighting the growing economic impact of the programme at grassroots level. Unlike traditional agricultural plots, VBUs are structured as comprehensive business models aimed at generating income, strengthening food systems, and improving overall community livelihoods.
The programme aligns with the Government’s rural development agenda under President Emmerson Mnangagwa, which promotes the use of renewable energy and agriculture to build resilient rural economies.
