Mr. Lessem Mungore delivers his tomato harvest to Sabi Star Mine

For years, Gilson Bonde watched his tomatoes wilt under the relentless Buhera sun. The journey to distant markets was long and costly, and often, his family’s hard-earned harvest would spoil before it could be sold. Like many smallholder farmers in this arid region, he was trapped in a cycle of subsistence farming, his ambitions limited by water scarcity and a lack of market access.

Today, standing in a lush, green field of cabbages, Bonde points towards a nearby solar-powered borehole. “This water,” he says, “has become our life.” His story is no longer about scarcity but about supply. He is one of dozens of horticulture farmers in Buhera North who are now thriving, thanks to a guaranteed market just a few kilometers away: the Sabi Star Lithium Mine.

This shift represents a quiet revolution in rural Zimbabwe, where agriculture employs over 60% of the population but remains vulnerable to climate shocks and economic instability. It also aligns with a growing regional imperative. The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has long advocated for extractive industries to become catalysts for local economic development, moving beyond mere resource extraction to genuine community integration.

A ready market transforms villager revenue streams

The mine’s commitment to sourcing fresh produce locally has unlocked a powerful economic engine. By partnering with its catering contractor, Tsebo Zimbabwe, Sabi Star has created a structured supply chain for tomatoes, onions, ginger, and cucumbers, directly from local fields to the plates of its 1,000-strong workforce.

“We purposely unbundled large vegetable contracts to accommodate sole traders and cooperatives, especially those run by women and youths,” said Mine Manager Engineer Oswald Makonese. “It’s not just about CSR; it’s about building a resilient local economy that benefits everyone.”

For farmers like Lessem Mungore, this policy has been transformative. “Before, we had the will, but not the way,” Mungore shares, offloading crates of juicy tomatoes at the mine’s kitchens. “Now, with a reliable buyer, I can plan. I’m expanding into Chinese vegetables and eggs. This opportunity has changed my life.”

Building foundations with water

 Recognizing that a market is useless without produce, the mine’s most critical intervention has been addressing the fundamental challenge of water. To date, Sabi Star has drilled 26 boreholes across the community.

“Last year, we set up community gardens in Bonde, Tumbare, Bhondai, and Tame Villages. The mine installed solar boreholes as a source of water to support the horticultural projects for women and youths,” mine manager Engineer Oswald Makonese said.

This infrastructure has a dual benefit. As Gwinyai Mhlanga, an ambitious young farmer, notes, it allows for experimentation and diversification. But on a broader scale, it has also helped curb environmentally damaging streambank cultivation, a major cause of siltation in the Save River—a win for both livelihoods and ecological conservation.

A model for sustainable CSI?

When Sabi Star imported 30 000 tonnes of maize to distribute to 600 of the most vulnerable families in the community during the 2024 drought, words of gratitude from all quarters were overwhelming. But the pertinent questions of sustainability and fostering donor dependency were unavoidable.

Sabi Star management seems aware of this, focusing on building capacity rather than just providing aid.

The mine’s broader social investments—including the construction of the Mukubu Clinic, support for local schools, and drought relief—have earned it awards for corporate social responsibility. But for Gilson Bonde, the success is measured in simpler terms.

He still remembers the day when, together with his wife, they would trudge the many kilometers to Murambinda to sell their produce, often returning weary and discouraged, with little to show for their hard labor.

“It's way easier nowadays; we supply to the mine. I am planning to increase my capacity,” Bonde says, a smile breaking across his face. “I can pay school fees without worry.”

In the drylands of Buhera, the partnership between the Chinese-owned company—which is part of a global industry—and local farmers is demonstrating that the most valuable resource a mine can unearth may not be lithium, but human potential.