Mukuru, the financial services provider, has established a strategic partnership with Women in Farming and Entrepreneurship (WIFE) to roll out a targeted agro-business initiative aimed at supporting and expanding farming enterprises run by women in rural communities. The project, officially titled “Building Resilient Livelihoods through Agro-ecological Sunflower Value Chain Development for Rural Women,” is a comprehensive programme designed to overcome key barriers faced by smallholder farmers. It will provide participants with access to finance, extensive training in agro-ecology principles, specialised knowledge in sunflower cultivation and processing, and vital market access and marketing skills.
The initiative is structured around developing the sunflower value chain within villages, serving the dual purpose of promoting financial inclusion and fostering broader social growth in disadvantaged rural areas. This focus is particularly pertinent in Zimbabwe, where the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) estimates that approximately 1.5 million smallholder farmers form the backbone of the agricultural sector. However, this critical group frequently struggles due to limited access to resources, farm implements, and financial services. The partnership directly addresses these challenges by integrating financial solutions with agricultural support.
Amanda Munyoro, the founder of WIFE, hailed the collaboration as a significant milestone, emphasising that its value extends far beyond mere financial backing. The initial phase of the sunflower project is being launched in the Guruve district, where it will commence with a pilot group of thirty farmers, with a clear plan to scale up operations. She expressed a vision to reach at least 200 women within the first five years, indicating the programme’s long-term ambitions. Furthermore, members of WIFE will gain access to Mukuru’s range of relevant financial services, notably including the Mukuru Wallet, which will enhance their economic participation and improve their overall quality of life. While the initiative is primarily focused on empowering women, the programme has incorporated an inclusivity measure by allocating 20% of its beneficiary quota to men.
The farmers will also benefit from Mukuru’s Money Matters Training, a component that aligns with the financial services provider’s commitment to driving long-term, positive change through financial literacy. This educational element complements WIFE’s central mission, which seeks to reduce dependency on external donors by actively cultivating financial literacy and ensuring access to both financial and non-financial capital, thereby establishing sustainable agricultural entrepreneurship. The initiative is a cornerstone of Mukuru’s Corporate Social Investment (CSI) strategy, which focuses on uplifting rural communities, generating income opportunities, fostering financial independence, and ensuring economic inclusion for historically underserved populations.
Awonke Mbanga, Mukuru’s CSI Manager, underscored the transformational nature of the partnership. He stated that the collaboration is not simply about improving access to finance, but rather about assisting rural women to establish resilient livelihoods and become full participants in their local economies. He explained that by fusing financial tools with specialised training and community-based support, the programme is deliberately creating opportunities for women to grow their agribusinesses with confidence, thereby breaking down barriers to inclusion and fostering stronger, more sustainable communities. The project is designed as a model for sustainability, focusing on cash crops like sunflowers which simultaneously enhance families’ food security while providing a viable commercial product. This dual approach is intended to promote community resilience, shifting the dynamic from external dependence towards self-sufficiency and creating genuinely sustainable and independent livelihoods within the Guruve community. WIFE’s five-year plan includes establishing profitable circular sunflower value chain groups in Guruve and expanding capital access to 500 women across the Chikomba and Zvimba districts, a goal that Mukuru believes is entirely achievable through its strategic investment in agricultural entrepreneurship to develop a more robust local economy.