Creating Adaptive Unique Systems for financing Women and Youth (CAUSEWAY)

Access to appropriately structured finance for youth and women in agribusiness increased. Appropriately structured finance relates to loan amounts, affordable cost (interest rates), flexible tenures, grace periods for agrultural loans.

Development of bankable proposals – 56% of trained and mentored women and youth accessed funding from financial institutions through the CAUSEWAY Revolving Fund. The training and mentorship was attributable to the development of bankable loan proposals acceptable by financial institutions. (70% of these were women whilst 30% were youth).

First time borrowers – 75 % of the women and youth who accessed funding were first time borrowers. These had never accessed loans before. If the project had not been implemented these women and youth would not have accessed the funds to enable their production to change. These beneficiaries would have remained outside the productive sector. So the inclusion of these women and youth expanded the production possibility frontier for national output.

Unlocking of funds from financial institutions – One of the objectives of the CAUSEWAY Project is to influence financial institutions to warm up to funding businesses of women and youth – a cohort that is traditionally viewed as risky. The value of non-performing loans from funded women and youths through the Revolving facility boosts confidence in financial institutions on the creditworthiness of this category of clientele. The Value of funding unlocked from financial institutions now stands at US$63,000 in year 2 having between nil in year 1. This is a positive development and it is expected that the proportion of own funds from banks will continue on a positive trajectory. The funds unlocked so far were to bridge the gap between the amounts requested by borrowers and the maiximum limits they could get from the Revolving facility.

Improved performance of businesses of capacitated and funded women and youth

Growth in turnover – The CAUSEWAY Project caused a positive change in performances of businesses of the capacitated women and youth. There was a 139% growth in turnover of businesses of the funded women and youth. This positive change is largely attributable to the project.

Increase in household incomes – There has been a 5% growth in annual household incomes of funded women and youth businesses. This was as per the targets set for the project. It is expected that with improved performance the targets will be even higher.

Appreciation and keeping of business records – There is improved appreciation by capacitated women and youths of keeping business records. All funded women and youths realized the usefulness of records in preparation of bankable loan proposals for submission to financing consideration. In monitoring visits conducted the training women and youth would refer to their records when explaining issues their businesses.

Demand for partnerships from development partners – There is increasing demand from development agencies such as NGOs to partner with ZADT to facilitate access to finance for rural women and youth projects. This is coming from a realization that ZADT is not a competitor to their work but a complementor for access to finance for eligible women and youth. There is evidence of layering in a number of projects where ZADT efforts are building on existing efforts by other development partners. This is all a result of the results from the CAUSEWAY Project.

Increased demand for funding under the Hub and Spoke model – There is a growing demand from Off-Takers with out-growers models to apply for funding which they are on-lending to their linked growers. This is a sustainable funding model in which Off-takers working with target women and youth are presenting themselves for access to finance capacity building by ZADT to appreciate and understand contract terms. The Off-Takers are accessing funding to extend input credit facilities to the linked women and youth businesses. Examples of businesses funded under this model include Zimbabwe Super Seeds (ZSS) for sugar beans and maize seed, Hekhani Seeds for legumes , Reapers for export Ginger and Garlic production.

Collateral requirements under the Hub-and Spoke financing Model – The need for collateral is still an issue for individual women and youth applying for loans to financial institutions. However, the Hub and Spoke funding model transfers the need for collateral from individual women and youth farmers to the off-taker who normally possesses the requisite collateral required by financial institutions.

Student Incubation and Mentorship – More than 200 In-school youth were capacitated with business skills through practical exposure through the grants provided under CAUSEWAY. At least 20 students who graduated from agricultural tertiary institutions in 2025 have continued to implement those projects outside school. The Incubation and Mentorship initiative is therefore contributing to development of businesses by students after graduating from college. There is need to design a follow-up mentorship support programme to these students.

Participation in Policy development/ review activities – ZADT has managed to cultivate a good working relationship with government Ministries such as that of Youth through participating in their key planning workshops e.g. Strategy Review Session in Mutare (January 2025), National Development Strategy 2 Consultation workshop in Kadoma (August 2025) and National Youth Policy Review Workshop in Harare (September 2025). Participating in such fora positions ZADT well in terms of opportunities to advocate and influence policy.

Good repayment of loans by funded women and youth – The capacity building initiative by the CAUSEWAY project has been effective in de-risking the women and youth as evidenced by the low average portfolio at risk for the Revolving fund of less than 1% which is within the acceptable limit of less than 5%. The good repayment record bears testimony to the de-risking activities by the CAUSEWAY Project.

Employment creation – Funded businesses under the CAUSEWAY project have demonstrated a great potential towards creating employment. Funded businesses managed to created demand for more laborers. The average number of workers engaged after accessing funding was 3.