Zimbabwe Agricultural Development Trust

What Zimbabwe Agricultural Development Trust does

ZADT is a Zimbabwe-based nonprofit development trust registered on October 5, 2010 and co-founded by SNV Netherlands Development Organization and Hivos. Headquartered in Harare with approximately 15 employees, the organization provides funding, capacity building, and Financial Services Technical Assistance to smallholder farmers and agricultural SMEs in Zimbabwe. Its core mechanisms are a Revolving Fund that channels working capital to agricultural value chain actors, structured Capacity Building programs, and technical assistance to partner banks — ZB Bank, AFC Bank, Steward Bank, and FBC Bank — that on-lend to underserved clients.

ZADT's business model is donor-funded rather than commercial. Program funding is sourced from institutional donors including the Swedish Embassy, Netherlands Embassy, the European Union through the Zimbabwe Agricultural Growth Programme (ZAGP), and Dan Church Aid. Reported disbursements (e.g., approximately $36,000 for a specific project component) and a multi-donor portfolio suggest annual fund mobilization in the low single-digit millions USD, though the organization does not publish audited revenue figures. In January 2025 ZADT launched two new financial products — ACT (Agribusiness Climate Transition) and CSA (Climate-Resilient Agriculture) — extending its product surface into climate-themed finance for smallholders.

The organization functions as a development intermediary between European institutional donors and Zimbabwe's agricultural value chain, with a deliberate pivot toward inclusive segments via the April 2024 CAUSEWAY Project, which targets women and youth-led agribusinesses. After 14 years of operation, ZADT's value proposition rests on donor access, partner-bank distribution, and accumulated trust-based lending track record rather than proprietary technology or commercial pricing power.

Name

Zimbabwe Agricultural Development Trust

Legal name

Zimbabwe Agricultural Development Trust

Website

https://zadt.co.zw

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ZADT is a Zimbabwe-based nonprofit founded in 2010 by SNV and Hivos that provides funding, capacity building, and financial services technical assistance to smallholder farmers and agricultural SMEs through partner banks and donor-funded programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Development Finance

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Miscellaneous Business Credit Institution (6159)

akta.pro primary industry

National Development Banks & State Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) (BPADACAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems Funds (FSANAJAE), Grantmaking & Philanthropic Funds (Institutional Donors) (BPADAOAB), Climate Finance Funds & Green Investment Facilities (BPADACAH)

Keywords

• Agricultural development finance
• Smallholder farmer support
• Agricultural value chain
• Capacity building services
• Climate smart agriculture

Headquarters

HQ city

Harare

HQ country

Zimbabwe

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Funding Mobilization and Deployment: ZADT is a nonprofit organization that mobilizes and provides funding to contribute to the recovery and improvement of the smallholder farming sector. The organization does not generate revenue in the traditional sense but administers funds as co-investments to eligible Zimbabwean agricultural value chain actors.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

ZADT mobilizes donor funding and administers it as co-investments and grants to eligible Zimbabwean agricultural value chain actors through its ZADT Revolving Fund, supplemented by Capacity Building programs, Financial Services Related Technical Assistance, and Cross Cutting Issues support. It also delivers the CAUSEWAY Project for women and youth-led agribusinesses and, as of January 2025, two new financial products: Access to Clean Technology (ACT) and Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA). The offerings are designed to address collateral gaps, financial illiteracy, and access-to-finance barriers for smallholder farmers and agricultural SMEs in Zimbabwe.

Product overview

ZADT is a nonprofit organization that operates as a development finance and technical assistance institution rather than a traditional product company. The organization provides a unified suite of financial and capacity-building solutions centered on its Revolving Fund mechanism, complemented by technical assistance services. The portfolio includes the core Revolving Fund for direct co-investments, Capacity Building programs, Financial Services Related Technical Assistance, and Cross Cutting Issues support. In January 2025, ZADT launched two new financial products: Access to Clean Technology (ACT) and Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA). All offerings are designed to increase access to finance for smallholder farmers and agricultural MSMEs in Zimbabwe.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CAUSEWAY Project: Access to finance project for women and youth-led agribusinesses
• ZADT Revolving Fund
• Access to Clean Technology (ACT)
• Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA)

Products and services

• ZADT Revolving Fund A revolving fund mechanism that mobilizes donor capital and administers it directly as co-investments to eligible Zimbabwean agricultural value chain actors, providing access to finance for smallholder farmers and agricultural SMEs through partner banks and microfinance institutions.
• Capacity Building Technical assistance and training provided to various levels of actors in Zimbabwe's agricultural value chain to build skills and capabilities for improved farming, financial literacy, and business operations.
• Financial Services Related Technical Assistance Assessment of technical support needs based on in-depth discussions with value chain actors, combined with provision of finance and guidance on preparing bankable proposals and navigating loan applications with partner financial institutions.
• Access to Clean Technology (ACT) A financial product launched in January 2025 that provides funding for Zimbabwean agricultural value chain actors to adopt clean technologies in their operations.
• Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) A financial product launched in January 2025 that supports Zimbabwean smallholder farmers in adopting climate-smart agricultural practices.
• CAUSEWAY Project (Women and Youth-led Agribusinesses Initiatives) A ZADT-operated access-to-finance project funded by the Swedish Embassy that targets women and youth-led agribusinesses in Zimbabwe, providing grants and capacity-building support such as the USD 4,500 CAUSEWAY Project grant awarded to the GZU Fresh student agribusiness group.

Quantifiable outcome

• Smallholder farmers and SMEs gain access to formal financial services through ZADT facilitation
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and founding.

• Sustainable Agriculture Technology (SAT)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2021SAT implemented the EU-funded Zimbabwe Agricultural Growth Programme (ZAGP) Inclusive Value Chain Programme. Jonathan Murwira received financial support under this programme in 2021 before accessing ZADT's CAUSEWAY Project.
• SNV Netherlands Development OrganisationfoundingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 October 2010SNV Netherlands Development Organisation was one of the founding partners that established ZADT on October 5, 2010. SNV is a Netherlands-based international development organization that works to accelerate the transition to more just, inclusive, and sustainable health systems.
• Humanistic Institute for Development Cooperation (Hivos)foundingStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 October 2010Hivos was one of the founding partners that established ZADT on October 5, 2010. Hivos is a Dutch non-governmental organization seeking to contribute to a free, fair, and sustainable world.
• ZB BankcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorZB Bank is a partner bank that provides loans to agricultural value chain actors facilitated by ZADT. The Bopha Ziqine Green Hub received a USD 3,500 loan from ZB Bank at 1.8% monthly interest.
• AFC BankcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAFC Bank is a partner bank providing agricultural loans facilitated by ZADT. Multiple beneficiaries including Jonathan Murwira ($15,000), Simon Masocha ($3,500), and Thembelihle Nyathi ($15,000) received loans through AFC Bank.
• Welthungerhilfe Zimbabwe (WHH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWHH provides capacity building for preparing bankable business plans and is a project partner working with ZADT to support smallholder farmers.
• Steward BankcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSteward Bank is a partner bank collaborating with ZADT to support the stockfeeds value chain.
• FBC BankcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFBC Bank collaborates with ZADT to support sorghum smallholder farmers.
• Ingwebu BreweriescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIngwebu Breweries collaborates with ZADT and FBC Bank to support sorghum smallholder farmers.
• CIMMYTcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIMMYT Mechanization Project works with ZADT to manage the lease-to-own finance facility for smallholder farmers.
• Great Zimbabwe University (GZU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGZU partnered with ZADT's CAUSEWAY Project through the GZU Fresh student agribusiness group. Dr. Mubvuma serves as mentor.
• UNTU CapitalcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUNTU Capital provides microloans to smallholder farmers for piggery, horticulture, and dairy through ZADT facilitation.
• Zero One AfricacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorZero One Africa supports the paprika value chain through ZADT.
• Fertmap Fertiliser Manufacturing CompanycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorZADT supports smallholder farmers through Fertmap Fertiliser Manufacturing Company.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Hivos: ZADT's other founding organization; Dutch international NGO working on inclusive economic development, including agricultural value chains in Southern Africa. Comparable mission and beneficiary focus in the region.
• Palladium: Global impact consultancy and implementer working on agriculture and inclusive market development in emerging economies. Comparable as a development partner implementing donor-funded agricultural finance programs in Africa.
• SNV Netherlands Development Organisation: ZADT's founding organization; a major international development organization working on agriculture, energy, and water across emerging markets. Comparable as a sectoral development actor with overlapping partner ecosystem.
• TechnoServe: International nonprofit working with enterprising people in the developing world to build competitive farms, businesses, and industries. Comparable as a development sector peer combining technical assistance with value chain financing facilitation in Africa.

Direct peers

• Oiko Credit: Global cooperative and impact investor financing financial inclusion, sustainable agriculture, and renewable energy in emerging markets. Comparable as a development finance institution serving smallholders and SMEs with capital and capacity support.
• GroFin: Development financier providing small and medium enterprise finance across Africa, including agriculture. Comparable target customer profile and challenge of serving unbanked entrepreneurs lacking collateral.
• AgDevCo: UK-based specialist agriculture impact investor operating across sub-Saharan Africa, providing blended finance and technical assistance to smallholder-linked SMEs. Closely comparable mission, model, and target beneficiary profile to ZADT.
• Incofin Investment Management: Belgium-based impact investment manager focused on financial inclusion and smallholder finance in developing countries. Closely comparable as a fund manager blending concessional and commercial capital for agricultural SMEs.
• Root Capital: Nonprofit impact investor providing loans and capacity building to small and growing agricultural businesses in Africa and Latin America. Directly comparable in combining capital deployment with advisory services to underserved agricultural value chains.

Broad incumbents

• Acumen: Global nonprofit impact investor supporting early-stage companies serving low-income communities, with significant agricultural engagement in East Africa. Comparable patient capital and capacity building approach but broader sector mandate.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zimbabwe-agricultural-development-trust

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Zimbabwe Agricultural Development Trust