The Unseen Sector: Learning from Research to Uncover Investment Opportunities in Climate-Smart Agriculture and Renewable Energy in Zimbabwe

This paper provides insights from a mapping exercise that looked at MSMEs’ investment needs and opportunities in the climate-smart agriculture (CSA) and renewable energy (RE) sectors in Zimbabwe. The study, which was requested by the EU Delegation (EUD), made a number of recommendations that can be taken up by the EUD to attract investments that would have a long lasting impact on MSMEs, including by using guarantee facilities under the European Fund for Sustainable Development Plus (EFSD+). While these findings will inform EU activities in Zimbabwe, they may also be useful to investors, donors or other organizations which have an interest in the two sectors, or, more broadly, in tackling the pressing development challenges of stagnant MSME growth, informality and unemployment in Zimbabwe. The research was carried out for the European Union Delegation by the EU Africa RISE program.