Corporate Social Responsibility and sustainable agriculture go hand in hand and competition of export in regards to agricultural produce has made it mandatory for most countries of the world to adopt CSR in order to survive. Companies sourcing their raw materials from Africa, like other continents, are required to meet international regulations and initiatives to remain in business and often increase their market share.
There are corporate codes of conduct that they expect all of their operations to comply with and it is expected that suppliers meet CSR standards for responsible sourcing. The CSR process should therefore be considered as an important investment for both the company and a Government that wants to promote export within the country – in fact it has now become mandatory for the export market to engage in CSR.
Agriculture is the backbone of Zimbabwe’s economy and, as with mining-related CSR, it is now widely accepted that communities affected by farming operations within an area need to benefit from such operations. We have found that CSR programs focusing on inclusive business lead to mutually beneficial opportunities for all players involved in the production chain. In this respect, by working with their neighbouring communities, agricultural companies can significantly enhance capacity development of farmers and the improvement of livelihoods for small-scale farmers.