Village business units (VBUs) are increasingly becoming a cornerstone of the rural industrialisation drive, with communities in Gokwe Nembudziya’s Chitora area reporting improved food security and income generation under the initiative.
In Chitora, the integrated production hubs supported by solar-powered boreholes have enabled year-round farming through nutrition gardens and small livestock projects, significantly improving household productivity.
Headman Tawanda Tafurachena, revealed that the initiative had transformed agricultural production in the area.
“These VBUs have changed our community,” he said.
“People are now working together, producing beyond subsistence levels, and we are seeing real income coming from the gardens and livestock projects.”
Beneficiaries say the model has improved livelihoods, with some households earning between US$400 and US$500 per month through the sale of agricultural produce and related activities.
One of the beneficiaries, Gogo Moto (80), said access to water had been a major turning point for the community.
“Before this project, we struggled with water and food. Now we have gardens, clean water and income,” Moto said. “We can pay school fees and support our families.”
- VBUs drive rural industrialisation in Gokwe
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The introduction of reliable water sources has also enabled continuous production cycles, with farmers now able to cultivate up to three times a year, reducing reliance on seasonal rainfall.
The initiative is helping reduce post-harvest losses while promoting value addition and small-scale rural enterprises, with produce now reaching markets in Gokwe Centre and surrounding areas.
The VBU programme is part of broader efforts to modernise rural economies, enhance food security and support Vision 2030 targets of inclusive and sustainable development.
The programme falls under the Rural Development 8.0 framework targeting the establishment of 35 000 VBUs nationwide.
