A four-year agreement with the European Union Delegation, to go further in-country on the foundations laid by FFM+ and AGRINFO.
COLEAD signed a 48-month grant agreement with the European Union Delegation to Zimbabwe in July 2026, for the implementation of the THRIVE Zimbabwe programme — Transforming Horticulture for Resilient, Inclusive & Value-driven Exports. A first in-country mission took place from 17 to 21 August. It served to introduce the programme, validate priority areas and put in place the working relationships that will carry delivery over the next four years.
A country programme, built on the regional ones
THRIVE follows a country-programme logic: it draws on the results, tools and deliverables produced by COLEAD's regional programmes, and adds the resources for more numerous and more individualised support in a single country. The same architecture is at work elsewhere, with PASA in Côte d'Ivoire and NEXT in Kenya. In Zimbabwe, the groundwork is there: since Fit For Market Plus (FFM+) was launched in 2022, 57 applications for support have been received and 46 development projects signed with MSMEs, business membership organisations, service providers, competent authorities, universities and other support structures. The AGRINFO programme is also active in the country.
Four partners consulted, five areas identified
Discussions brought together the Plant Quarantine Services Institute (PQSI), Zimbabwe's national plant protection organisation (NPPO), the Horticultural Development Council (HDC), ZimTrade and Bio-Hub Trust — a regional think tank working since 2011 on natural resource management and biodiversity conservation — among others. They opened up scope for collaboration on plant health, market access, business support, sector coordination and the development of sustainable support services for horticultural operators.
A new R-SAT under discussion with the NPPO
With PQSI, COLEAD reviewed earlier cooperation and discussed priorities for future technical support. Among them, a new iteration of the Rapid SPS Assessment Tool (R-SAT), which COLEAD has also used this year in Mali and Burkina Faso. Scope, timing and practical arrangements are still to be confirmed through follow-up technical discussions.
A permanent presence in the country
The mission moved forward the recruitment of COLEAD's first Zimbabwe-based programme coordinator. Initial interviews were held in Harare and the selection process is continuing; the appointment is expected in September or October 2026. This permanent in-country presence will make COLEAD more accessible to national partners and allow for close coordination throughout implementation.
Two EU programmes that answer each other
A close working relationship was also established with the EU Delegation and with the International Trade Centre's Horticulture Export Value Chain Development Project, likewise EU-funded. The two programmes will coordinate their interventions to seek complementarity, avoid duplication and maximise their combined contribution to the sector. Preparations for a joint launch event are under way.
What the sector said
One point came back throughout the week: partners and COLEAD members welcomed THRIVE's long horizon and the prospect of a stronger presence in the country, while stressing the need to turn that coordination into practical, responsive support for businesses, producers and sector institutions.
This activity is supported by the Fit For Market Plus (FFM+) programme, implemented by COLEAD within the Framework of Development Cooperation between the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) and the European Union; and by the AGRINFO programme, implemented by COLEAD and funded by the European Union (EU). This publication receives financial support from the European Union and the OACPS. The content of this publication is the sole responsibility of COLEAD and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union or the OACPS.