Production Training
The major project emphasis is cotton production training. This includes cotton agronomy, land use
management and ends with marketing training. The new thrust of the project has ushered in training in
other crops and livestock value chains that empower women, apart from cotton. This is to enhance
diversification so that income streams are increased. However, cotton is the major crop. Training is
conducted through an interactive lecture method in the field, and this is further cemented by
demonstration sites which underscore the agronomic training. The study circle methodology has also been
infused to promote farmer training during their convenient times. As part of the study circle methodology,
farmers are trained on study circle organization and study circle material is then distributed. In each of the
49 wards of the project there is a ward facilitator who acts as the study circle organiser and convener of
training and other meetings in the absence of the District Field Officer. These ward facilitators backstop
training by district field officers and are the conduit for online training through cell phone technology.

Online training compliments physical training.
Village Savings and Lending Associations (VSLAs)
This is one project flagship which has attracted many rights holders in Zimbabwe operational districts.
The VSLA model emphasises growing of the group and individual fund, and enterprise development. A
member of a VSLA has to establish an enterprise against which she or he borrows. Consequently, the
amounts borrowed increase over time, and so do the interests payable. This concept has attracted many
rights holders in the project. These VSLAs are also linked to external financial institutions in order to
expand the funds and to grow their businesses where possible. They also receive business and financial
information in order to improve their business and to increase their financial literacy. Linkages with
financial institutions for these VSLAs is the immediate and ultimate goal. The project emphasizes training
in Farming as a Business and Financial literacy.

Diversification and enterprise Development
The project underlines crop and livestock diversification beyond just cotton. This also encompasses value
addition on the diversified crop and livestock enterprises. Women and youths are now involved in small
livestock such as goats, pigs, indigenous chickens and rabbitry. There is new emphasis on high value
crops and horticulture. This ensures farmers have descent incomes and fallback throughout the year. Value
addition includes handlooms that were procured in the first phase and women have been coached to
weave and this is ongoing. The handloom associations also underwent intensive training in 2024 and 2025
in Lusaka, Zambia. The project also envisages businesses by youths in the various value chains in order to
attract youths to participate for their livelihoods. The project also underscores the need to diversify
livelihoods for economic empowerment and some of the enterprises that have been formed are not
necessarily agricultural.

Sustainable Agriculture Land Management Practices
The project underlines the production of cotton, other crops and livestock in a sustainable manner. This is
with reference to climate change and the environment. Cotton production is through sustainable standards
of production and borrows from the Cotton Made in Africa and the Better Cotton standards. Zimbabwe
does not aim to establish these standards but to use sustainable practices from both standards.
Conservation agriculture has been adopted by the project in the growing of cotton and other relevant
crops. The project also embraces and harnesses potential development partnerships for sustainable
farming practices. As part of cooperative learning, the project has also introduced sustainable agriculture
practice cooperative demonstration plots in the project areas.

Disaster Risk Reduction
The project aims to analyse Zimbabwe disasters emanating from adverse weather, which include, but are
not limited to, drought and floods. This includes gathering available disaster risk reduction strategies and
documenting these. It also encompasses the sharing of useful information to farmers and designing coping
mechanisms with communities in the project areas. This is largely done through physical awareness
meetings and electronic information sheets. Emphasis is on awareness on climate change and training in
adaptation and mitigation. This component also requires linkages with research, academic institutions and
like-minded development organisations to enhance the coping strategies.

Organizational capacity building
The project seeks to enhance the capacity of partner organisations to be able to respond to the needs of
their customers. It focuses on strengthening the capacity of organisations to provide relevant services.
This includes financial sustainability planning and strategic planning for the partner organizations. It is
also important for partner organisations to get feedback from stakeholders on the services and
interventions they implement.