Italian agribusiness companies are exploring investment and technology opportunities in Zimbabwe as the two countries deepen cooperation in agriculture, with a particular focus on value addition, agro-processing and modern farming technologies.
The engagement brings together the Italian Agrifood Technology for Africa network, Zimbabwean businesses and Government institutions, creating a platform for potential partnerships across the agricultural value chain.
The Italian delegation comprises companies specialising in agricultural technology, irrigation, horticulture, cold storage, food processing, seeds, biostimulants and logistics.
The Italian Agrifood Technology for Africa initiative is designed to expand the presence of Italian companies in Sub-Saharan Africa through partnerships with local businesses and institutions across key agricultural value chains.
For Zimbabwe, the initiative presents opportunities to access advanced technologies, attract investment and strengthen domestic processing capacity while improving productivity and market access.
Among the proposed areas of cooperation is the establishment of pilot plants and demonstration centres where Italian technologies can be tested, demonstrated and adapted to local conditions, while also providing training for Zimbabwean personnel.
The discussions are also examining investment opportunities in specific value chains, including blueberries, tomatoes, mangoes and avocados.
In the tomato sector, proposed interventions include the establishment of modern nurseries, improved irrigation and mulching systems, industrial-scale cultivation and processing facilities.
The mango value chain presents opportunities in irrigation, grafting, sorting, packaging, cooling and pulp processing, while the avocado sector could benefit from investment in modern packaging facilities, rapid cooling, sorting and packaging technologies.
The proposed interventions are expected to support Zimbabwe’s efforts to move beyond primary agricultural production by increasing the amount of produce processed locally before reaching domestic and export markets.
Italian Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Giuseppe Giacalone, said Italy was encouraged by Zimbabwe’s economic development agenda under the National Development Strategy 2 and Vision 2030.
He said the country’s economic targets were creating opportunities for international companies to explore partnerships and investment.
The ambassador’s remarks underline Italy’s interest in working with Zimbabwean stakeholders to develop commercially viable agricultural projects while transferring technology and technical expertise.
The engagement also provides local businesses and Government institutions with an opportunity to interact directly with international technology providers and potential investors.
Beyond farming, the discussions cover the wider agricultural ecosystem, including processing, packaging, cold-chain infrastructure, logistics and value addition.
Strengthening these areas could help Zimbabwe reduce post-harvest losses, improve the quality of agricultural products and create additional opportunities for local businesses and employment.
The cooperation comes as Zimbabwe continues to pursue strategies aimed at increasing agricultural productivity, promoting industrialisation and expanding exports through value addition.
With Italian companies bringing expertise in specialised agricultural technologies and Zimbabwe providing opportunities across a range of agricultural value chains, the engagements could pave the way for new partnerships between companies from the two countries.
