Swedish Ambassador Commends Masvingo Floriculture Project

The City of Masvingo today hosted the Ambassador of Sweden to Zimbabwe, Per Lindgärde, who visited the city to appreciate the progress and impact of the Masvingo Floriculture Project supported by Gender Links.

The visit highlighted the strong partnership between Sweden and Zimbabwe in advancing sustainable development, gender equality and inclusive economic empowerment.

Welcoming the Ambassador and delegation, Masvingo Mayor, Cllr Aleck Tabe expressed gratitude for Sweden’s continued support to development initiatives that uplift communities and promote gender-responsive programmes.

The Masvingo Floriculture Project was described as a key Local Economic Development initiative that is empowering women and youth while creating sustainable livelihoods.

Launched in 2023 with 50 beneficiaries, the project has grown into a vibrant community enterprise driven by a flower arrangement Small Business Unit (SBU), which generates more than 80 percent of the project’s turnover. Beyond flower production, the initiative focuses on value addition and the development of a local floriculture value chain through an out-grower model.

Beneficiaries have also received training in financial literacy, leadership and corporate governance, equipping them with skills necessary to manage sustainable businesses.

As part of strengthening financial independence, the project also established internal savings and lending clubs with 17 members.

Speaking during the visit, Ambassador Lindgärde emphasized that gender equality remains a key priority for the Swedish government, particularly in empowering women and girls to participate fully in economic development.

He reaffirmed that Sweden will continue to be a strong partner to Zimbabwe, not only through bilateral cooperation but also through regional development strategies with greater focus on investment and trade.

The City of Masvingo reaffirmed its commitment to inclusive development through its 2026 budget, which stands at US$31,941,996.57. Council has 294 tenders valued at US$21,601,297.00 on pipeline to improve service delivery and infrastructure. Of these, 13 percent of the tenders are reserved for women and youth under Affirmative Procurement initiatives, amounting to US$404,351, demonstrating Council’s commitment to empowering women and young entrepreneurs.

Council also continues to support Local Economic Development initiatives through a structured contribution model that includes Human Resources Support (5%), Financial Support (20%), Infrastructure Services and Maintenance (40%), Capacity Building (25%) and Market Development (10%). These efforts ensure that community-based projects such as the floriculture initiative remain sustainable and impactful.

City of Masvingo Town Clerk, Eng. Edward Mukaratirwa assured stakeholders that the floriculture project will remain sustainable even after the close-out of the programme implemented by Gender Links with funding from the Swedish government.

He noted that the project will serve as a foundation for larger Local Economic Development initiatives in the future.

The visit by Ambassador Lindgärde reaffirmed the importance of international partnerships in promoting inclusive economic opportunities, gender equality and sustainable urban development in Masvingo. City officials expressed optimism that the floriculture initiative will continue to grow into a thriving sector supplying both local and regional markets while empowering women entrepreneurs.