Zimbabwe Courts Danish Investment in Agriculture and Clean Energy

The Zimbabwean Government has pitched a US$1.42 billion investment opportunity to a visiting Danish business delegation, targeting the country’s agricultural value chains with the aim of achieving a one million tonne maize surplus by 2030.

Deputy Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Vangelis Haritatos, led the engagement in Harare, where he outlined several government-backed models aimed at attracting private sector investment. These include initiatives like NEAPS, the Irrigation Development Alliance Model, the Mechanisation Alliance Model, and the Vision 2030 Accelerator Model.

Haritatos highlighted that agriculture remains central to Zimbabwe’s economy, contributing up to 17% of GDP and employing 60-70% of the population. However, with climate change affecting yields, the Government is prioritising climate-smart farming, irrigation, and mechanisation.

The targeted investment will support key value chains in maize, soyabean, sunflower, blueberries, poultry, beef and dairy. Over US$1 billion is needed for maize, soyabean and broiler projects alone.

To attract investors, Zimbabwe is offering incentives such as tax breaks in Special Economic Zones, duty rebates on capital equipment, 100% foreign ownership, and VAT exemptions on farming inputs and machinery.

Haritatos also pointed to Zimbabwe’s agricultural potential, with 33.3 million hectares of arable land, over 10,000 dams, and a rapidly growing blueberry sector already exporting to China and eyeing India.

The Danish delegation, led by Zimbabwean-born Florence Charamba Christensen of Afrika Consultancy, included leading companies in grain processing, poultry, renewable energy, milling, and sustainable farming.

Cimbria and Engsko, among others, expressed interest, with Cimbria highlighting its long history in Zimbabwe and ongoing partnerships with companies like Seed Co.