The Women’s Farming Syndicate (WFS) is an organisation that empowers women in communities in Zimbabwe to scale up their agribusiness enterprises through agroecology, value addition forest products and the use of indigenous knowledge systems. The WFS aims at eradicating poverty amongst women in rural areas through the promotion of a sustainable agribusiness model. The production process is to harvest natural herbs and fruit in wild forests, mountains and fields that are then dried, hand processed, packed and labelled - all in a sustainable manner.

Key facts about the Women’s Farming Syndicate (WFS):

• Founded in 2012.
• Based in Matabvu Village Domboshava, Zimbabwe.
• Main products exported by the WFS are exotic herbal teas, Baobab fruit pulp, Resurrection tea and Mondia Whiteii, a popular medicinal plant with aphrodisiac and antidepressant properties.
• Export markets are the European Union (55%), Africa (30%), Australia (10%) and the United States of America (5%).

Company profile:

The WFS believes in developing women and changing lives. The WFS works with over 5,000 women entrepreneurs across the country from all ages and backgrounds. Its mission is to represent women in agriculture and related industries at policy forums and create the conditions for the adoption of policies that leverage indigenous knowledge systems, fostering an enabling environment for sustainable development. This includes initiatives like community-led seed-saving programs, where traditional farming practices are preserved, enhancing crop resilience and biodiversity. Additionally, partnerships with indigenous communities for agroforestry projects have not only revitalized traditional land management practices but also generated income streams through sustainable harvesting of forest products. By integrating indigenous wisdom into agricultural policies and practices, WFS aims to improve the livelihoods of producers, their families, and rural communities while fostering environmental stewardship and resilience.

This is mainly achieved through policy dialogues, specific discussions, workshops and conferences. In addition the WFS works with line ministries through lobbying and advocacy particularly around issues on quota’s for women, fair tariffs and ensuring the inclusion of small holder farmers at major forums to ensure their interest are represented. The WFS’ work covers all agriculture related thematic areas including forestry, aquaculture and fisheries, apiculture, environment, trade and extension services. Extension services include training farmers on land preparation, advising on best organic and agroecological practices, teaching farmers how to harvest water, preparing nurseries for indigenous trees and herbs as well as advising farmers on latest methods and labour saving technologies.

Although the WFS was set up initially in 2011 to empower women and advocate for them, it has diversified its activities over the years. The WFS has established training centres across Zimbabwe to teach women agroecology, processing centres to help them processing the harvest and fairs to put them in contact with potential buyers from all regions and continents, and takes care of the exports on their behalf.

The WFS runs key projects and programmes that include, among others, the Community Food Hub and Annual Women’s Showcase Market.

The Community Food Hub is a central hub for farmers to bring their produce, add value, and learn best practices through field days and specialised training events. The food hub also promotes the local seed bank for Indigenous seed and preservation methods. It serves as a platform to sharing best practices and supporting communal farmers to access local, regional and international through meeting the requirements for the various export markets. The initiative is a collaborative effort to enhance the value of agricultural produce by providing farmers with a centralized facility for processing and packaging. The hub adheres to Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) guidelines, ensuring all food safety standards are met during processing.

The Annual Women’s Showcase Market is an event aimed at showcasing and promoting the businesses of women entrepreneurs in agriculture and related industries. It serves as a platform for networking, accessing affordable financing, technology, and market opportunities, while also fostering appreciation for the diverse contributions of women in these sectors. It also provides opportunities to share best practices with their counterparts from other regions and continents. The organization has also promoted women and youth in creative industries such as arts & crafts (beading, jewellery, crotchet, fine arts, making mats from fibre) and fashion. This provides additional income to women when they are not performing agriculture related activities.

The ultimate goals of the WFS is to export large volumes of natural herbs and fruit to the world, particularly to the European Union, and enable women in rural areas to have a living wage through forest products and traditional food.

The strategies to promote exports to the European Union (EU) are:

a. Product Quality and Certification to meet EU regulations and consumer preferences.

b. Market Research and Targeting while highlighting the social impact of empowering rural women.

c.Value Addition and Processing.

d. Supply Chain Optimization to ensure timely delivery to the EU markets.

e. Capacity Building and Training.

f. Form partnerships with EU-based distributors, retailers, or NGOs to facilitate market access and promote products.

Linkages to the European Union:

The Annual Women’s Showcase Market, held since 2016, has facilitated linkages with the European Union, particularly with France, Germany, Malta, Portugal and Spain. In fact, over 60 percent of buyers at the event include trade attachés from diplomatic missions, chain stores and wholesalers from the EU or covering it. The geographical origin of the buyers are mainly from the aforementioned EU countries and Switzerland.

As a result of the linkages, community farmers in the Goromonzi District in Mashonaland East Province now generate a regular income from exports to these EU countries and are now able to cover basic needs for their children such as education, access to healthcare and therefore improving their quality of life.

One example is Cecilia Ndeketeya who harvests mugondorosi (Mondao Whiteii) at the bottom of the mountains, washes, dries then grinds them into a fine powder, before packing and sending her products to Spain.

The WFS has been benefitting from the EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) since the onset and those exports enabled them to focus on ensuring high quality products while deriving maximum value from those thanks to tariff liberalisation. In addition, the expansion of trade with the EU allowed hiring five additional staffs dedicated solely to EU exports as the WFS now counts over 500 households producing for the European market.

Main achievements over the years:

• 1 employee at creation; 12 permanent employees at the end of 2023.
• A business constituency that has grown to over 5,000 women entrepreneurs across the country.
• Works with over 500 households in Mashonaland East, Masvingo and Matebeleland Provinces.

How did the EPA help?

As a smallholder farmer and widow from the Goromonzi District, I have fully used the traditional knowledge systems to harvest sustainably wild herbs, fruit, and vegetables. Additionally, I have embarked on the journey of exporting these products using the EPA with the EU, both as an individual and through the wider Women's Farming Syndicate Network.

By joining forces with other like-minded women farmers, we were able to pool our resources and expertise, enabling us to negotiate better deals, access larger markets, and navigate the complex export process more efficiently. Through accessing exports, I managed to buy a plot and build a home for my children as well as embark on other income generating projects.

“The EPA includes facilities such as duty and quota-free access to the EU market for Zimbabwe's exports, capacity building and technical assistance, as well as support for investment and private sector development. Without these facilities we would not have had the capacity, as a small entity, to penetrate the export market. The EPA with the EU has significantly changed our share of the export market, with most of our production now destined for the EU market!”

The Women's Farming Syndicate Trust

Mrs Tsitsi V. S Machingauta, National Coordinator

WFS Zimbabwe