Zimbabwe Agricultural Society

What Zimbabwe Agricultural Society does

The Zimbabwe Agricultural Society (ZAS) is a privately held, non-profit agricultural society established in 1895, headquartered at Exhibition Park on Samora Machel Avenue West in Harare, Zimbabwe. Its core activity is the annual Zimbabwe Agricultural Show, a six-day event held in late August that brings together approximately 600 exhibitors across six themed pavilions (Crops & Inputs, Livestock, Equipment & Machinery, Finance & Insurance, Agritech, Government & NGO) and attracts roughly 200,000 visitors from all ten provinces of Zimbabwe, with attendance recovering from ~95,000 in 2021 to ~210,000 in 2024 and ~190,000 in 2025.

ZAS operates a four-pillar platform: (1) the flagship Agricultural Show and supporting live machinery demonstrations; (2) seven year-round flagship conferences — Livestock Conference, Green Indaba (now in its 25th edition), ANAC co-organised with NECF, ESG Conference, RAETI, Exhibitors Cocktail, and the Golf Tournament; (3) year-round real estate operations under 'The Business Hub' brand, comprising 85,000 sqm of halls, pavilions, and outdoor space available for hire at Exhibition Park plus offices to let; and (4) publications including the Agricultural Sector Survey produced with the Financial Gazette, quarterly newsletters, and post-show reports. The organisation is governed by a board led by President Mr Ngoni Kudenga and managed by Acting CEO Engineer Enkelbert Makaure, who assumed the role in September 2021 following Dr Anxious Masuka's departure to become Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement.

ZAS monetises through five distinct revenue streams: (i) one-time exhibition stand fees sold via a multi-step online registration system with early-bird pricing through 31 May 2026; (ii) quote-based sponsorship and hospitality packages covering title, pavilion, conference, and bespoke opportunities sold by a dedicated partnerships team; (iii) transactional venue and office hire from the 85,000 sqm Business Hub; (iv) recurring membership dues from Annual and Life Membership tiers; and (v) subscription and one-off publication sales. Go-to-market is hybrid event-driven and enterprise-field-sales: exhibitor acquisition uses a dedicated ZAS Exhibitor Services team confirming allocation and commercial terms directly, while consumer ticket sales run through self-serve online checkout on zas.co.zw. The 2026 Show theme 'Powering Growth — Where Agriculture, Technology and Commerce Converge' signals an emerging emphasis on agritech, precision farming, mechanisation finance, and digital traceability as programming priorities.

Name

Zimbabwe Agricultural Society

Legal name

Zimbabwe Agricultural Society

Website

https://zas.co.zw

Company type

Private

Founded year

1895

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Zimbabwe Agricultural Society (ZAS) is a 131-year-old nonprofit that hosts the annual Zimbabwe Agricultural Show in Harare, convening ~600 exhibitors and ~200,000 visitors from all ten provinces, alongside seven flagship conferences and year-round venue hire across an 85,000 sqm Exhibition Park.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Event Management

SIC

Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Agriculture, Farming & AgriTech Shows Organizers (THAHABAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Agriculture, Food & Nutrition Congresses (THAHAJAI), Professional & Association Conferences (MPAGAGAB)

Keywords

• Agricultural exhibitions
• Agribusiness conferences
• Event venue hire
• Agricultural publications
• Trade show sponsorship

Headquarters

HQ city

Harare

HQ country

Zimbabwe

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Exhibition Stand Fees: Revenue from exhibiting organizations purchasing exhibition space across six pavilions plus outdoor activation grounds. Stand selection allocated on first-confirmed basis with early-bird pricing until 31 May 2026.
2. Sponsorship & Hospitality Packages: Brand activation, conference naming rights, pavilion sponsorship, and hospitality packages sold to corporate partners for measurable ROI — managed through the partnerships team.
3. Venue & Business Hub Hire: Year-round rental of 85,000 sqm across halls, pavilions, and outdoor spaces at Exhibition Park, plus office spaces to let — generating recurring facility hire income.
4. Publications: Sale of sector surveys (Agricultural Sector Survey with Financial Gazette), quarterly newsletters, post-show reports, and brochures — both free and paid downloads.
5. Membership Dues: Annual and Life Membership tiers providing recurring membership revenue from individual and organizational members.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Zimbabwe Agricultural Society (ZAS) operates the annual Zimbabwe Agricultural Show, a six-day flagship event at the Harare Showgrounds featuring six pavilions, 600+ exhibitors, and 200,000+ visitors. It complements the Show with seven flagship conferences (Livestock Conference, Green Indaba, ANAC, ESG, RAETI, Exhibitors Cocktail, Golf Tournament), year-round venue hire of 85,000 sqm at The Business Hub, offices to let, publications (Agricultural Sector Survey, newsletters, post-show reports), and Annual and Life Membership programmes.

Product overview

The Zimbabwe Agricultural Society operates a platform of agricultural development services centered around the annual Zimbabwe Agricultural Show, a flagship six-day event attracting 600+ exhibitors and 200,000+ visitors. The portfolio includes seven flagship conferences (Livestock Conference, Green Indaba, ANAC, ESG, RAETI, Exhibitors Cocktail) and year-round real estate services (Business Hub Hire offering 85,000 sqm of venue space, Offices to Let). Supporting services include publications (Agricultural Sector Survey, newsletters, post-show reports), exhibitor registration, media accreditation, exhibitor competition entries, and golf tournament. The 2026 show theme focuses on 'Powering Growth' emphasizing technology-led commercial agriculture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Business Hub: The year-round venue facility at Exhibition Park, Harare, offering 85,000 sqm of halls, pavilions, and outdoor space for hire, plus office space for lease.

Products and services

• Zimbabwe Agricultural Show Zimbabwe's premier annual agricultural showcase event held at the Harare Showgrounds (The Business Hub), featuring six pavilions, 600+ exhibitors, and 200,000+ visitors across six days. Serves exhibitors, sponsors, and the general public.
• ZAS Livestock Conference Annual conference convening livestock producers, veterinary professionals, agribusiness leaders, and policy stakeholders to address production, market access, and livestock-sector resilience.
• Green Indaba Flagship sustainability conference (25th edition in 2026) convening climate-conscious agriculture leaders, policymakers, and investors to chart pathways for sustainable agricultural transformation.
• Annual National Agribusiness Conference (ANAC) Strategic gathering of CEOs, investors, regulators, and producers co-organized by ZAS and NECF to synthesize ideas from the annual ZAS theme for implementation during the forthcoming season.
• ESG Conference Conference providing practical guidance for agribusinesses navigating ESG reporting requirements, climate disclosure, and social licence to operate.
• RAETI (Research for Agricultural Excellence & Technology Indaba) Research-into-practice conference bringing together universities, agricultural research institutes, and commercial agritech to translate research breakthroughs into farmer-ready practice.
• Exhibitors Cocktail Networking evening for exhibitors, sponsors, commercial partners, and invited stakeholders held during show week.
• ZAS Golf Tournament Golf tournament held at Royal Harare Golf Club supporting networking among the agricultural community.
• Business Hub Venue Hire Year-round venue hire service offering 85,000 sqm across halls, pavilions, and outdoor space at Exhibition Park in Harare for events, exhibitions, and corporate functions.
• Offices to Let Office space rental at Exhibition Park providing year-round commercial tenancy options for businesses.
• ZAS Publications Agricultural Sector Survey (produced with the Financial Gazette), quarterly newsletters, post-show reports, and brochures providing sector insights and analysis for the agricultural community.
• Exhibitor Registration Service Online application system for exhibition space at the Zimbabwe Agricultural Show, including stand selection, access, and badge details.
• Sponsor & Partner Services Partnership opportunities spanning the Show, pavilions, conferences, and hospitality including title sponsorship, pavilion sponsorship, conference partnership, and hospitality partnership for measurable ROI.
• ZAS Membership Programme Annual and Life Membership tiers providing recurring membership benefits for individual and organizational members of the Zimbabwe Agricultural Society.
• Media Accreditation Service Press credential application service for journalists covering the Zimbabwe Agricultural Show, granting access to all events, media room, and dedicated interview slots.

Quantifiable outcome

• ~200,000 visitors annually across six show days
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and supporting.

• National Economic Consultative Forum (NECF)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerNECF co-organises the Annual National Agribusiness Conference (ANAC) with ZAS, bringing together CEOs, investors, regulators, and producers to distil the ZAS annual theme into pragmatic implementation ideas for the forthcoming season.
• CIMMYTcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIMMYT (International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center) supports both ANAC and RAETI as an institutional partner, contributing research expertise and international agricultural development perspective to ZAS conference programming.
• AGRA (Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAGRA is a core supporting partner for both the Green Indaba (25th edition, 2026) and RAETI, providing sustainability expertise through Ms T. Nyathi, Head of Sustainability, as a panelist, and contributing to the flagship sustainability conversation at the Zimbabwe Agricultural Show.
• NMBZ BanksupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerNMBZ Bank supports the Green Indaba as a financial sector partner, contributing to discussions on climate finance and the green transition in Zimbabwe's agricultural sector.
• SyngentasupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerSyngenta supports the Green Indaba as an agricultural inputs partner, contributing to discussions on sustainable agricultural transformation and climate-smart practices.
• CABSsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerCouncils and Associations Building Society supports ANAC as a financial sector partner, participating in discussions on foreign direct investment and agribusiness strategy.
• John DeeresupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerJohn Deere supports ANAC as an equipment and technology partner and provides live machinery demonstrations at the show, showcasing mechanisation solutions for Zimbabwean agriculture.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Royal Agricultural Society of NSW: Australian agricultural society operating the Sydney Royal Easter Show and other major agricultural events. Similar heritage nonprofit society model with significantly larger scale, offering benchmark on operating a year-round venue plus flagship show.
• Comexposium (SIMA / Salon International de l'Agriculture): Major French trade show organizer running Salon International de l'Agriculture (Paris) and SIMA/Simagena agricultural machinery exhibitions. Comparable as a commercial-scale agricultural show operator, though for-profit and broader in scope than ZAS.

Direct peers

• National Western Stock Show: Historic US livestock and agricultural exposition held annually in Denver, Colorado. Direct peer as a heritage nonprofit agricultural show with year-round venue hire and livestock exhibition focus comparable to ZAS.
• Royal Agricultural Society of England (RASE): Long-standing UK agricultural society historically known for organizing the Royal Show and other farming events. Closest structural peer to ZAS in terms of society model, heritage brand, and convening role across farming stakeholders.
• DLG (Deutsche Landwirtschafts-Gesellschaft): German Agricultural Society and the world's leading organizer of agricultural trade fairs including AGRITECHNICA and EuroTier. Operates the same nonprofit agricultural society + exhibition model as ZAS, with multi-decade heritage and global exhibitor base.

Regional players

• AgriTech Expo Zambia: Regional agricultural machinery and technology exhibition in Zambia focused on commercial farmers across Southern Africa. Regional peer that targets a comparable farmer/agribusiness audience with a narrower agritech positioning.
• Grain SA: South African agricultural industry organization that organizes Nampo Harvest Day, the largest agricultural show in the Southern Africa region. Direct regional peer targeting the same farmer and agribusiness audience across the border from Zimbabwe.

Emerging players

• AgriExpo (Kenya): Kenyan agricultural exhibition organizer focused on showcasing innovation and agribusiness across East Africa. Comparable as a regional emerging agricultural exhibition organizer competing for similar agribusiness exhibitor demand.
• Kenya Agricultural & Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO): Kenyan agricultural research and convening body that runs agricultural shows and field days across Kenya. Comparable to ZAS in the East African convening role for the agricultural sector, though more research-focused than event-focused.

Others

• Royal Agricultural Society of the Commonwealth (RASC): Federation of national agricultural societies across the Commonwealth, linking ZAS to global peer societies and providing cross-promotion channels. Relevant as a network-level peer and benchmarking body for ZAS's convening role.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/zimagricsociety
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCYPIbhsv4gywNkM77PdOhIA
• Facebookfacebook.com/zimagricsocietyofficial
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zimbabweagriculturalsociety
• Instagraminstagram.com/zas_zimagricsociety

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

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 Society