According to the Bank’s website, the Agricultural Climate Resilient and Vulnerability Reduction Project (ACRES) supports the Government of Zimbabwe in strengthening climate resilience and reducing vulnerability in the agricultural sector, particularly in drought-prone areas. The total project cost amounts to UA 20.50 million, financed by a UA 18.21 million grant from the African Development Fund under the Transition Support Facility (TSF) Pillar I (88.8%), complemented by a Government in-kind contribution of UA 2.06 million (10.1%) and a beneficiary contribution of UA 0.23 million (1.1%), with no external co-financiers. The project promotes climate-smart agriculture, sustainable land and water management, and resilient rural infrastructure to address recurrent droughts, ecosystem degradation, and food insecurity. It aligns with Zimbabwe’s National Development Strategy (2021–2025), the Bank’s Ten-Year Strategy (2024–2033), and the High 5 priorities “Feed Africa” and “Improve the Quality of Life for the People of Africa,” while contributing to adaptation and mitigation objectives under the Paris Agreement.

The project aims to enhance the resilience of rural communities severely affected by climate shocks and environmental degradation while improving agricultural productivity and livelihoods. It focuses on strengthening climate-resilient water and livestock systems, promoting sustainable rangeland and natural resource management, and supporting diversified livelihoods such as poultry, apiculture and aquaculture. The project also strengthens agricultural input supply chains, improves access to climate information and early warning systems, and builds institutional capacity for climate adaptation planning. Through these interventions, it seeks to improve food security, stabilize incomes and reduce vulnerability to drought and climate variability.

Environmental Category: [2] Moderate Risk

The Project was confirmed as Category 2 on 9 July 2025, validated in ISTS and recorded in SAP as moderate risk in accordance with Zimbabwe Environmental Management Act Chapter 20:27 of 2002.

The major environmental and social risks and significant impacts are: (i) Soil and water pollution due to chemical runoff from agrochemicals and dip tank operations; (ii) Soil erosion due to land disturbance from project activities; (iii) Occupational health and safety risks, including exposure to agrochemicals, noise, dust, and machinery-related hazards; and (iv) Social inequalities if access to project benefits is not equitably distributed.

The total project cost amounts to UA 20.50 million, financed by a UA 18.21 million grant from the African Development Fund under the Transition Support Facility (TSF) Pillar I (88.8%), complemented by a Government in-kind contribution of UA 2.06 million (10.1%) and a beneficiary contribution of UA 0.23 million (1.1%), with no external co-financiers.

Finance Type: Grant
Commitments (UA): 18,210,000
Conversion Rate USD (2026-03-10): 1,36276

Name: Yappy Gregory SILUNGWE
Email: y.silungwe@afdb.org

ACCESS TO INFORMATION

You can submit an information request for project information at: https://www.afdb.org/en/disclosure-and-access-to-information/request-for-documents. Under the AfDBs Disclosure and Access to Information policy, if you feel the Bank has omitted to publish information or your request for information is unreasonably denied, you can file an appeal at https://www.afdb.org/en/disclosure-and-access-to-information/appeals-process.

ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISM OF AfDB

The Independent Review Mechanism (IRM), which is administered by the Compliance Review and Mediation Unit (CRMU), is the independent complaint mechanism and fact-finding body for people who have been or are likely to be adversely affected by an African Development Bank (AfDB)-financed project. If you submit a complaint to the IRM, it may assist you by either seeking to address your problems by facilitating a dispute resolution dialogue between you and those implementing the project and/or investigating whether the AfDB complied with its policies to prevent environmental and social harms. You can submit a complaint electronically by emailing crmuinfo@afdb.org, b.kargougou@afdb.org, b.fall@afdb.org, and/or s.toure@afdb.org. You can learn more about the IRM and how to file a complaint at: https://www.afdb.org/en/independent-review-mechanism/