Ukama Ustawi – Driving impact through delivering climate-smart innovations at scale

Creating self-sufficiency through promoting farming-as-a-business using Mechanized conservation agriculture in Zimbabwean schools

In Zimbabwe, vast tracts of arable land in schools lie unutilized despite their potential to provide food security and generate additional income for operational costs. Recognizing this untapped opportunity, the CGIAR Food Systems Accelerator, which is supported by the International Water Management Institute (IWMI)-led Ukama Ustawi (UU) Initiative, is driving transformative change in agriculture. The innovative program on ‘Promoting farming-as-a-business through mechanized Conservation Agriculture (CA) in Zimbabwean schools,’ implemented through a collaboration between the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Kurima Machinery and Technology, Emergination Africa, and the Ministry of Education, is centered around establishing Agri Learning Hubs. And it aims to revolutionize how schools approach agriculture—shifting from subsistence to sustainable, business-oriented models.

Despite having large tracts of unused land, most rural schools in Zimbabwe rely on external food purchases to feed their students. The Agri Learning Hubs aim to change this dynamic by equipping schools with mechanized CA technologies tailored to the schools’ contexts. Through diagnostic assessments and stakeholder engagement, schools such as Hippo Valley High and Gutu High have been identified for the pilot phase. These schools have the potential to produce not only enough food to meet their internal needs but also surplus to generate income and support school operations​. Mechanized CA combines modern agricultural machinery with sustainable farming practices to optimize productivity while preserving soil health and water resources – the schools are provided with equipment such as two-wheel tractors, multi-crop threshers, and irrigation systems, and the desired outcome of this intervention would be to reduce labor intensity, increase efficiency, and boost yields which are key components in driving economic and environmental resilience.

Beyond self-sufficiency, the initiative positions schools as service providers within their communities by hiring mechanized services such as land preparation, irrigation, and feed processing. Schools can generate additional income and encourage continuous engagement with their local communities. This model benefits the schools and supports surrounding smallholder farmers who lack access to such technologies. Annual seed fairs and market linkage initiatives further connect schools with agri-processors, enhancing the value chain and providing stable markets for surplus produce.

A key component of the initiative is capacity building. School principals, teachers, and students receive training in agribusiness, financial management, conservation agriculture and mechanization. The curriculum, developed in collaboration with CIMMYT, emphasizes sustainable practices, entrepreneurship, and the integration of agriculture into the educational framework. Participants gain practical skills and accreditation, positioning them for future opportunities in the agricultural sector​.

The initiative aligns with CGIAR’s goal of improving nutrition, promoting gender equality and youth inclusion, and enhancing climate resilience. By fostering a culture of farming-as-a-business, the program aims to create self-sufficient schools that feed their students and contribute to local food security and economic development. The long-term vision is to replicate and scale this model across Zimbabwe and other East and Southern African countries, transforming schools into agricultural innovation and community development ​hubs. Mechanized Conservation Agriculture holds the potential to redefine agriculture in Zimbabwean schools. Schools can become self-sufficient, resilient, and economically viable by integrating modern technology, sustainable practices, and a business mindset. This initiative addresses immediate food security needs and lays the foundation for a new generation of agri-entrepreneurs equipped to drive sustainable development in Zimbabwe and beyond.

Featured Image: Mr. Farai Mushawasha of Emergination Africa, Mr. Kush Sira of Kurima Machinery, and Dr. Blessing Mhlanga of CIMMYT at Hippo Valley High School conducting a needs assessment. Credit: Mahlatse Nkosi, IWMI.

 Authors:

• Mahlatse Nkosi, Research Officer – Inclusive Agricultural Finance, International Water Management Institute (IWMI)
• Blessing Mhlanga, Associate Scientist – Cropping Systems Agronomist, International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT)

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