The Ministry Core Values exist to define how we work and serve. They set the standard for staff conduct, team culture, and service delivery so every action reflects Zimbabwe’s interests and public trust.
Desire or love for one’s country (Zimbabwe first).
State of being transparent, accountable, responsible, and answerable for one’s and our collective action.
Leveraging each other’s experiences and strengths and working inclusively with love and respect.
Initiating and embracing new methods or ideas for enhancing service delivery timeously.
Honesty, trustworthiness, steadfastness, and adherence to moral and professional principles.
MINISTER
DEPUTY MINISTER
PERMANENT SECRETARY
Supports youth entrepreneurship through policy creation, funding management, business incubation, and creating economic opportunities for youth in various sectors
Learn MoreEncourages national identity and civic responsibility among youth through career guidance,
Provides youth with technical and entrepreneurial skills through vocational training, public-private partnerships, and curriculum development to improve employability and self-sufficiency.
Focuses on youth entrepreneurship by developing policies, providing technical support, creating business hubs, and establishing public-private partnerships for youth empowerment.
The Skills for Youth and Women Employability and Productivity (SYWEP) Project is being implemented by the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training with financial support from the African Development Bank (AfDB) and technical implementation support from the International Labour Organization (ILO). The project focuses on three priority value chains, one of which is horticulture, to be implemented at Kaguvi Vocational Training Centre (VTC). Good progress has been recorded in establishing the horticulture project. The foundation works for the 100 000 litre water tank have been successfully completed, and the site is now ready for the concrete pouring stage. Once completed, the water tank will enhance the project's irrigation capacity, ensuring a reliable water supply to support year-round horticultural production.
The Ministry in partnership with ZimTrade, continues to promote youth-led agricultural transformation through the establishment of a peas production cluster in Mutoko District. The initiative is centred at Tabudirira Vocational Training Centre (VTC), which serves as the cluster’s aggregation and coordination hub. The programme was introduced to empower young farmers through commercial peas production, enabling them to participate in high-value agricultural value chains while creating sustainable livelihoods and income-generating opportunities. Through the cluster model, young farmers are benefiting from improved access to technical support, practical training, market linkages and shared production resources. To support the initiative, Tabudirira VTC established a half-hectare demonstration plot dedicated to peas production. The plot serves as a practical learning platform where young farmers are exposed to recommended agronomic practices and modern farming techniques aimed at improving productivity and profitability. The cluster comprises six young farmers operating within the Tabudirira area. At Chitora 2 Irrigation Scheme, four young farmers jointly cultivated 1.2 hectares of peas and have already commenced harvesting. The crop is expected to yield approximately 10 tonnes this season, reflecting the success of the young farmers' efforts and the effectiveness of the cluster approach. In addition, two other young farmers each established one hectare of peas, further increasing the cluster’s production capacity. Collectively, the six young farmers have cultivated three hectares of peas, with total production projected to reach approximately 18 tonnes during the current season. The anticipated harvest demonstrates the potential of youth participation in commercial agriculture and highlights the capacity of young people to contribute meaningfully to food security, economic growth and rural development. Through access to training, markets and production support, the young farmers are transitioning from subsistence farming to commercially oriented agricultural enterprises. The Mutoko peas cluster further showcases the evolving role of Vocational Training Centres in empowering young people and driving community development. Beyond skills training, centres such as Tabudirira VTC are becoming incubation hubs for entrepreneurship, innovation and agricultural production. Through strategic partnerships and practical empowerment programmes, the Ministry remains committed to equipping young people with the skills, resources and opportunities needed to participate actively in Zimbabwe's economic development agenda.
Kaguvi Vocational Training Centre (VTC) commissioned an 80kVA solar power plant in the Midlands Province to improve practical training, reduce electricity costs, and host national events. The US$61,000 renewable energy project was funded through a US$58,500 EmpowerBank loan, with an additional US$2,500 used for security fencing. The solar facility was officially commissioned on July 2, 2026, by the Minister of Youth Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training, Hon. Tino Machakaire. It stands as the largest solar installation at any VTC in the Midlands Province, allowing the institution to transition toward affordable and sustainable energy.
President E.D Mnangagwa presided over the ground breaking ceremony of the Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa Youth Service and Vocational Training Centre at Igava in Marondera. The facility serves as a model for modern youth training centres. It combines technical skills development with practical rural enterprise, showcasing the government's strategy to turn training centers into economic hubs. The Igava facility features upgraded infrastructure alongside a dedicated Village Business Unit equipped with solar-powered borehole technology, drip irrigation, and fishponds. Designed to offer hands-on training in trades such as agriculture, technical crafts, and entrepreneurship, the centre empowers rural youth with industry-relevant qualifications. By equipping young people to build sustainable livelihoods, the Igava centre supports Zimbabwe’s broader Vision 2030 objectives for inclusive economic development.
The Joshua Mqabuko Nyongolo Nkomo National Youth Service and Vocational Training Centre, located near St. Joseph's in Kezi (Matobo District), is a major government project designed to honor the legacy of the late Vice President and "Father Zimbabwe," Dr. Joshua Nkomo. Situated in his ancestral home area, the multimillion-dollar facility was established to decentralize education and bring technical and vocational training directly to rural communities in Matabeleland South. The centre integrates practical technical skills training with the National Youth Service program. Learners receive hands-on instruction in trades such as carpentry, building, welding, and entrepreneurship, alongside civic and national service education. This dual approach aims to foster discipline, civic responsibility, and self-reliance, equipping young Zimbabweans with industry-relevant skills to build sustainable livelihoods or launch their own enterprises. Featuring modern infrastructure—including classroom blocks, technical workshops, administrative blocks, student hostels, and support facilities—the institution serves as a crucial hub for youth empowerment. By creating local opportunities for skills development and employment, the centre aligns with national development goals (Vision 2030) to reduce rural-urban disparities and promote sustainable economic growth throughout the region.
Update
IN the rolling farmlands of Guruve, Mashonaland Central province, where the soil meets the waters of Gwaku Dam, a quiet agricultural revolution is taking root. Among the neat rows of tomatoes and thriving green mealies stands a figure who defies the conventional narrative of graduate success: Devine Kudakwashe, a young man armed with a Master’s degree in Marketing, who has deliberately chosen the fields over the boardroom. At a time when many youthful graduates would prefer corporate positions in a largely overcrowded job market, Kudakwashe has carved an unconventional path that challenges deeply entrenched perceptions about education, success and the agriculture sector. His story represents a compelling case study in how academic knowledge can be repurposed to create economic opportunities in unexpected arenas. A deliberate departure from convention Kudakwashe’s decision to pursue commercial horticulture was not born of desperation or limited options, but rather from a clear-eyed recognition of opportunity. With a postgraduate qualification that could easily have secured him a position in the corporate world, he instead turned his attention to the soil — a choice that he describes not as a fallback, but as a calling. His academic background has proven surprisingly relevant to his agricultural enterprise. The principles of market research, consumer behaviour and brand positioning that he mastered in lecture halls now inform his decisions about which crops to plant, when to harvest and how to reach buyers. In an industry where many farmers struggle with market access, Kudakwashe’s marketing acumen provides him with a distinct competitive advantage. Central to Kudakwashe’s success is his strategic location near Gwaku Dam, which provides reliable irrigation water — a resource that remains Zimbabwe’s most critical agricultural input. While rain-fed agriculture continues to leave smallholder farmers vulnerable to climate variability, Kudakwashe’s access to consistent water allows him to produce year-round, capitalising on market windows when prices are most favourable. The green expanse of tomatoes, green mealies and diverse vegetables that now covers his fields is the physical manifestation of a business model built on careful planning and resource management. Each plant is a calculated investment, nurtured with the precision of someone who understands that agriculture, at its core, is an enterprise requiring the same strategic thinking as any corporate venture. Critical support Kudakwashe’s enterprise, however, received a significant boost through the US$1 million Youth Economic Empowerment Fund, administered by the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training in partnership with EmpowerBank. The funding has enabled him to scale up his tomato production, transforming what might have remained a subsistence operation into a commercially viable enterprise. This financial support reflects a growing recognition within Zimbabwe’s policy framework that young people must be positioned as entrepreneurs and innovators within the agriculture sector. The Zimbabwe Youth in Agrifood Systems Investment Plan 2026-2030 explicitly identifies access to finance, technology and markets as critical enablers for youth participation in agricultural transformation. For Kudakwashe, the funding has been a validation of his chosen path. “I have been doing horticulture for the past three years. The major challenges I have been experiencing include access to finance,” said Kudakwashe. “I, however, received funding from EmpowerBank, through the Ministry of Youth. Currently, on this project, I have 15 000 tomatoes. Let us use the resources that we have to drive agriculture. We need to seek assistance from Government institutions. I used to self-fund my project, but with the assistance I got from EmpowerBank, I have since expanded my project. I now also get support from Agritex officers — in terms of bookkeeping and management of funds.” Marketing skills in the fields Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of Kudakwashe’s journey is how his marketing qualification has found new life in an agricultural context. In the modern agrifood system, successful farming requires much more than production knowledge. It demands an understanding of consumer preferences, supply chain dynamics, quality standards and brand development — all areas where Kudakwashe’s academic training gives him an edge. His approach to farming incorporates marketing principles at every stage: selecting crop varieties based on market demand, timing harvests to coincide with peak prices, building relationships with buyers and developing a reputation for quality that distinguishes his produce in competitive markets. Kudakwashe’s story comes at a pivotal moment for Zimbabwe’s agriculture sector. For decades, farming has been perceived by many young people as a last resort — a sector for those without educational qualifications or better options. The emergence of agripreneurs like Kudakwashe is gradually challenging this narrative, demonstrating that agriculture can be a first-choice career for educated young people. This shift is critical for Zimbabwe’s economic future. With agriculture remaining the backbone of the country’s economy, engaging young people in the sector is essential for ensuring productivity, innovation and sustainability. The Government’s focus on youth agrifood systems investment reflects an understanding that tomorrow’s food security depends on today’s young farmers. Despite his successes, Kudakwashe acknowledges that the journey has not been without obstacles. Access to affordable finance, reliable markets, post-harvest infrastructure and agricultural inputs remain significant challenges for young farmers across Zimbabwe. The path from smallholder to commercial producer is fraught with operational difficulties that test even the most committed entrepreneurs. Looking forward, Kudakwashe envisions expanding his operation to include value addition — potentially processing his tomatoes into products that command higher prices and longer shelf lives. His marketing background will serve him well in this next phase, as he builds a brand that differentiates his products in an increasingly competitive marketplace. A new model for graduate success Kudakwashe’s journey represents a compelling model for how academic education can be leveraged in non-traditional sectors to create economic value. His Master’s degree in Marketing has not been abandoned; it has been repurposed, applied in a context where its value is perhaps even more significant than in the corporate offices where such qualifications typically lead. His story offers an important lesson that success does not always follow the conventional route, and that education’s greatest value may lie in its ability to equip individuals to recognise and seize unexpected opportunities. Overall, he stands as a symbol of a new generation of Zimbabwean farmers — educated, entrepreneurial and determined to build their futures on their own terms. His is not merely a story of choosing farming over formal employment; it is a story of reimagining what is possible when passion meets preparation, and when academic knowledge finds its most practical expression.
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Update
MINISTRY OF YOUTH EMPOWERMENT DEVELOPMENT AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING AT ZAS || 29 AUGUST 2026.
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Update
THE Government, through the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training, has unveiled the CAMFED Enterprise Development Fund, a multi-million‑dollar initiative designed to transform vulnerable young women into business owners, innovators and leaders. The launch, held in Harare yesterday, marked the fulfilment of commitments made earlier this year at the Youth in Business Forum, which focused on creating platforms that connect youth with financial service providers. Combining Government policy support with CAMFED’s financial pledge, the programme seeks to close gaps in youth financial inclusion and ensure no youth is left behind in economic transformation. Speaking at the launch, Minister of Youth Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training Tino Machakaire said the nation’s prosperity lies not in its natural resources, but in its citizens. “The true wealth of any nation is not found beneath its soil, but within its people. “When we invest in young people, we invest in innovation, productivity and the future prosperity of our nation.” The National Youth Empowerment Strategy (2026–2030) indicated a lack of access to basic financial services such as bank accounts, credit facilities, and insurance, particularly in rural areas, as some of the bottlenecks to empowerment. In this regard, Minister Machakaire highlighted how the US$1 million Youth Empowerment Fund and CAMFED’s US$2.2 million pledge are now materialising into tangible opportunities. “Today, we are witnessing those commitments becoming reality. The Enterprise Development Fund represents hope for countless young women and confidence in their abilities,” he said. He emphasised collaboration as the key to sustainable development, adding that youth unemployment cannot be solved by one institution alone. “Sustainable development requires collaboration. Through this partnership, we will continue creating pathways that connect young people to skills development, entrepreneurship, access to finance, markets, innovation and sustainable livelihoods.” In her remarks, CAMFED Zimbabwe executive director Ms Justina Hama emphasised that the organisation’s mission was to move young women from the classroom into business and leadership roles. “What our experience has taught us is that education opens the door, but it is economic opportunity that allows a young woman to walk through it and remain there.” She said while CAMFED could mentor, train and provide seed capital, Government policy was essential to building successful models nationwide. “So this is why your ministry becomes indispensable to our work. It is Government, through the Ministry of Youth, that sets the policy environment that champions youth financial inclusion,” she said.
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