Our Development Projects

Since 2014, LEAD has been an implementing partner for USADF-funded projects, supporting farmer groups and small businesses to formally register as SMEs and cooperatives. Through these initiatives, businesses have accessed grants of varying amounts and durations, enabling them to attract formal inputs, access output markets, and secure funding from financial institutions. The program has also contributed to job creation, youth and women empowerment, and sustainable livelihoods, reflecting USADF’s core mission.

Key achievements include mobilizing, forming, and strengthening 660 smallholder farmer groups across Binga, Hwange, Bikita, Chipinge, and Chiredzi districts, with women and youth holding key leadership positions. Over 60% of beneficiaries adopted smart agricultural practices, resulting in improved soil conservation, better fertilizer use, and enhanced biodiversity. Beneficiaries also embraced Good Agricultural Practices, leading to significant increases in crop yields.

Under USADF funding, LEAD has supported a youth-led potato growers group in Charamba, Nyanga, to establish climate-resilient microdams that provide year-round irrigation, earning the area recognition as a potato corridor in Nyanga. The dams were officially commissioned by the Ministry of Small to Medium Enterprises, with the Minister of State for Manicaland as guest of honor. LEAD has also strengthened women’s groups in basket weaving for local and export markets, and supported honey producer associations supplying Chimanimani Delights.

Across all projects, LEAD has encouraged the active participation of women and girls in the design and implementation of initiatives, ensuring inclusive and sustainable development.

The Feed the Future Zimbabwe Crop Development (FTFZ-CD) program, a five-year initiative funded by USAID, aimed to alleviate rural poverty and enhance food security among 57,500 smallholder producers, with a particular focus on empowering women, who made up 50% of beneficiaries in Natural Regions III, IV, and V.

Over the five-year period, the program reached more than 58,000 individual smallholder farmers across Manicaland, Mashonaland West, and Midlands provinces. Farmers benefited from training and technical assistance tailored to enhance crop yields, productivity, and household incomes, while partnerships with private sector actors further improved market access and economic opportunities.

Key achievements include doubling crop yields, establishing market connections with 34 private sector companies, and promoting savings through Input Procurement Groups and Internal Savings and Lending (ISAL) groups. Women’s participation in leadership positions increased from 25% to 62% by FY20.

Household resilience improved, with the resilience index rising from 3.38 in FY19 to 4 out of 6 in FY20. In recognition of its impact, LEAD received the Old Mutual 2020 Partnership Award in Africa for its role in providing finance and weather-indexed insurance.

In collaboration with CIMMYT and with funding from USAID, LEAD implements the Feed the Future Zimbabwe Mechanization and Extension Activity (MEA), aimed at improving smallholder farmers’ access to farm power and machinery to enhance land and labor productivity. The program is active in Buhera, Chimanimani, Chipinge, and Mutare (Manicaland Province), and Chiredzi (Masvingo Province), promoting equipment such as two-wheel tractors and trailers, ripper tines, basin diggers, multi-crop threshers, chopper grinders, and peanut butter making machines.

The program supports five Mechanization Service Provider Hubs, one in each district, which provide mechanized services for a fee to local farmers. To date, the activity has reached 6,783 individuals through training, demonstrations, and awareness meetings.

Under MEA, LEAD also piloted an irrigation water delivery service in Buhera, Chimanimani, and Chiredzi. Entrepreneurial farmers invested in solarized water extraction equipment to supply irrigation water to households with deep wells, enabling household gardens for consumption and sale.

In 2023–2024, with UNDP GEF6 funding, LEAD established Innovation Hubs in Hurungwe Wards 7, 8, and 9, pioneering village- and ward-based aggregation centers for horticultural crops, egg hatching, and the processing of locally grown small grains—creating new income streams and improving access to services.

Implemented by LEAD in Chinhoyi Urban (Mashonaland West), the program strengthened community resilience by improving access to clean drinking water and supporting diversified livelihoods. Through the drilling and solarisation of boreholes, 18,100 people gained reliable access to safe water, enabling home gardens, greenhouses, mushroom farming, and poultry production.

The program provided food and non-food assistance to 27,000 people through electronic voucher transfers, with each recipient receiving US$12, and supported 15,000 individuals with cash transfers via Western Union (US$13 each). For improved nutrition, 2,640 children under five and pregnant or lactating women received an additional US$5 per person.

Vocational training and livelihood support empowered 50 youths, with over 70% of graduates earning monthly incomes between US$100 and US$300. Agricultural interventions benefited 500 households, primarily women-headed. A vendors’ market and vendor training improved market integration and management.

Overall, the program delivered meaningful gains in poverty reduction, food security, economic empowerment, and access to clean water—demonstrating a holistic approach to building resilient communities.

In response to the devastating impact of Tropical Cyclone Idai in March 2019, LEAD implemented the Zimbabwe Idai Recovery Project (ZIRP) in Buhera and Mutare Rural districts of Manicaland, with a total project value of USD 573,163.64. The project aimed to mitigate immediate impacts on affected communities while establishing a foundation for long-term recovery and resilience.

LEAD trained 3,800 crop farmers, 680 community garden farmers, and 1,000 fodder beneficiaries on sustainable post-harvest management for grains and horticultural crops, utilizing Integrated Pest Management systems. Farmers acquired skills in processing, storage, and value addition for small grains, pulses, and vegetables, and the project facilitated collaborations with agro-processing entities for packaging materials, grain protectants, and market linkages.

A central element of ZIRP’s success was organizing farmers into groups—enabling joint procurement of inputs, aggregation for urban markets, reduced transaction costs, and stronger peer accountability. The model was adopted by other development agencies and line ministries in the region.

Key achievements included strong women participation in leadership positions, widespread Smart Agricultural Practices adoption, improved soil conservation, enhanced biodiversity, and better food security outcomes. The project also promoted the adoption of digital tools to expand access to extension services and market information.

The Zimbabwe Resilience through Accelerating New Community-based Holistic Outcomes for Resource Sustainability (ANCHORS) Activity, implemented by ECODIT LLC in collaboration with LEAD, is strengthening communities in the Southeast Lowveld and Mid-Zambezi Valley landscapes through sustainable natural resource management, climate-smart agriculture, and value chain development.

The overarching goal is to enhance communities’ capacity to protect and manage natural resources and the wildlife economy, recognizing the economic value of nature and preparing communities to withstand future shocks. The program focuses on improving economic benefits through strengthened governance of conservation enterprises, increasing access to high-quality water, and promoting locally led development and private sector engagement.

Achievements include mobilizing, forming, and strengthening 660 smallholder farmer groups across Binga, Hwange, Bikita, Chipinge, and Chiredzi, with a strong emphasis on women and youth in leadership positions. Over 60% of beneficiaries implemented smart agricultural practices, while adoption of Good Agricultural Practices improved crop yields and biodiversity.

The activity also supported women’s groups engaged in basket weaving and honey production, creating opportunities for local and export markets. Women and girls were actively engaged in project design and implementation to ensure inclusivity and empowerment.

The Tsungai Project is dedicated to building resilient communities in Gutu District, Masvingo Province through improved access to safe water, sanitation, hygiene (WASH), and sustainable food systems. By combining immediate relief with long-term solutions, the project ensures that families have the tools and knowledge to thrive in a healthy, safe environment.

As a targeted emergency response, the project addresses severe water scarcity, persistent food deficits, and the cascading impacts of El Niño-induced droughts, focusing on the most vulnerable households particularly those headed by women, the elderly, and individuals with disabilities.

By integrating WASH and food security activities, the project meets urgent needs while fostering sustainable mechanisms that help communities maintain proper hygiene, improve agricultural productivity, and strengthen overall well-being.

Water scarcity, poor sanitation, and food insecurity are interconnected challenges. The Tsungai Project tackles them together, empowering individuals and communities with the resources, knowledge, and support to survive, recover, and thrive despite ongoing climate and health challenges.

LEAD is partnering with JICA and the Government of Zimbabwe to establish a market-oriented rice production model that strengthens both food security and livelihoods. By providing technical guidance, logistical support, and value chain analysis, LEAD helps farmers improve production, access markets, and adopt high-yielding, climate-resilient NERICA rice varieties.

This initiative enables households to increase rice yields, enhance food security, and generate income through sustainable, market-driven farming practices. The project also lays the foundation for a national rice development strategy by identifying profitable cultivation models, suitable growing areas, and effective technologies and varieties, ensuring that Zimbabwe’s rice sector is both productive and resilient.

LEAD, in partnership with HarvestPlus, is addressing hidden hunger—micronutrient deficiencies that affect millions, particularly children and women— by promoting the production and consumption of biofortified crops. The organization supports farmers to grow nutrient-rich varieties such as vitamin A maize, iron-rich beans, and orange sweet potatoes, while providing technical guidance and capacity building to improve yields and adoption.

LEAD facilitates market access through connections with agro-dealers, processors, and local markets, and promotes community awareness and nutrition education to increase demand for biofortified foods. As a result, hundreds of smallholder households in Mashonaland East and Mashonaland West are now growing and consuming these crops, improving both nutrition and income opportunities.

LEAD’s support ensures that biofortified crops are accessible, market-oriented, and sustainable, generating long-term benefits for communities.

LEAD plays a pivotal role in strengthening the capacity of Agricultural Producer Groups (APGs) and Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) by reviewing and updating training manuals across three key modules: Business Development Services (BDS), Financial Literacy (FL), and Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA).

• Group dynamics, governance, and conflict management
• Farming as a business and marketing management
• Contract farming and core business management concepts

• Budgeting, debt management, banking, shares, and insurance
• Practical financial literacy for enterprise growth

• Climate and weather information use
• Index-based agricultural insurance
• Crop/variety selection and production techniques
• Integrated soil fertility, soil & water management
• Integrated pest management and post-harvest handling
• Labor-saving technologies

LEAD also designs and delivers training programs tailored to APGs and MSEs, rolling out sessions to over 1,000 APGs and 250 MSEs. Participants gain tools to develop business plans and access finance. LEAD provides ongoing technical assistance, supports participatory M&E, and produces quarterly and annual reports. Coordination among APGs, MSEs, and private sector actors strengthens market linkages, productivity, and sustainable growth.