This project involves the Feed the Future Zimbabwe Crop Development (FTFZ-CD) program. A 5-year USAID program implemented by Linkages for Economic Advancement of the Disadvantaged (LEAD) in partnership with Africare and Cluster Agricultural Development Services (CADS). The project is implemented in nine districts in three provinces: Manicaland, Midlands, and Mashonaland West.

The primary objective of FTFZ-CD is to sustainably reduce rural poverty, and to improve the food security, nutrition, and hygiene of 3,500 households on irrigation schemes and 25,000 households on dry land sites. To achieve this objective, FTFZ-CD provides training to farmers to increase agricultural productivity, to increase the volume of the marketed surplus of cash and food crops, and to improve the nutrition and hygiene of the beneficiary households. The project’s activities are implemented through three interlinked core components: (i) high-value crops, (ii) staples and pulses, and (iii) nutrition and hygiene.

These core components are supported by three crossing-cutting subcomponents: linkages, gender and youth involvement, and environment. FTFZ-CD seeks to increase participants’ net income per year by an average of US$1,000 for high-value crops, and US$ 500 for staples and pulses by year 5 of the project. The project targets also include doubling crop yields of horticultural produce.  As part of the evaluation, a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis was conducted in line with international good practices, assessing the project’s financial viability, economic efficiency, distributional impacts, and fiscal implications.