“The Beira Agricultural Growth Corridor seeks to stimulate a major increase in agricultural production in an area whose
growth potential has not yet been realised. The Beira Corridor has 10 million hectare of arable land with good soils, good
climate and reliable access to water, but despite the promising conditions, very little commercial agriculture is practiced”.
In addition, “the Beira Corridor project aims at drawing smallholder farmers out of the cycle of subsistence farming
by providing the infrastructure, finance and training needed to improve their productivity. The project has followed
a cluster approach whereby agriculture is developed around existing infrastructure, which provides easy access to
electricity and water supplies, for irrigation, and road and rail networks for access to markets” (Beira Corridor, 2012).
Beyond questions of whether land is effectively available (Kaarhus, 2011) or the effectiveness of the Beira Agricultural
Growth Corridor project (NEPAD/AU/World Economic Forum, 2012), agricultural initiatives and projects have
mushroomed in the region. This policy brief details the different investment models being established and what this
means for inclusive development and contract farming in the Beira corridor.
