Tomato, Chili & Agro-Transformation Entrepreneurship Program is a strategic initiative themed "From Harvest to Prosperity: Empowering Women Through Tomato, Chili & Agribusiness Value Addition Innovation". Organized by Angeline Zimbwani Mikiri, the Founder and Director of Shekinah Media and WEDO Country Ambassador for Zimbabwe,
The program aims to empower 1,000 women and youth across the country through practical agribusiness and value addition training by December 2026. This initiative is delivered in partnership with polytechnic colleges, SMEs, agricultural stakeholders, and development partners.
The program addresses significant post-harvest losses in tomato production resulting from limited access to value addition technologies, processing skills, markets, packaging expertise, and financing. By promoting the growth and commercial production of tomatoes and chilies, the initiative provides a foundation for agro-industrial development and creates opportunities for sustainable businesses producing goods such as tomato sauce, paste, dried tomatoes, jam, chili sauces, tomato powder, ketchup, and chilled tomato with chilies. The long-term vision includes expanding into other agricultural value chains, including fruits, herbs, vegetables, and indigenous crops.
The core objectives of the program are to empower women and youth with practical agro-processing skills, promote industrialization through value addition, increase the production of tomatoes and chilies, reduce post-harvest losses, create market-ready products, encourage innovation in food processing and branding, and celebrate Women's Entrepreneurship Day. Furthermore, the program seeks to lay a foundation for future agricultural expansion and identify and award the best agro-processing innovations in Zimbabwe. The target participants include women and youth entrepreneurs, female farmers, SMEs, polytechnic students, cooperatives, food processors, agricultural stakeholders, and investors.
The program’s roadmap began with a successful training at Masvingo Polytechnic on July 2 and 3, 2026, where 150 participants received hands-on training and certification in processing and packaging tomato chili, soup, and chutney. An upcoming workshop at Kwekwe Polytechnic is scheduled for October 15–16, 2026, for 300 women, with a focus on advanced processing, solar dehydration, agribusiness financing, and export readiness. The National Grand Finale and Women Entrepreneurship Day celebration will take place at Harare Polytechnic on November 19–20, 2026, featuring exhibitions, investor forums, awards, and the launch of a business incubation program.
To scale this impact, the program is actively seeking development partners to fund the establishment of an Incubation Hub and the procurement of professional production and training equipment. National competition categories include awards for the best tomato sauce, tomato paste, chilled tomato and chili product, and most innovative agro-product, among others, with support packages including business development, media exposure, and mentorship. For partnership inquiries, interested parties can contact Angeline Mikiri Wedo Country ambassador
on +263 773 549 575 or +263 719 549 575, or by email at shekinahmedia36@gmail.com.
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