Ziweto Enterprise
Improving the rural livestock value chain through affordable veterinarian services
Ziweto Enterprise has set up a network of franchise agro-veterinary shops in remote rural areas that provide veterinarian services, including diagnosis and medicine products, to smallholder farmers. Ziweto franchises also offer trainings on sustainable animal husbandry and facilitate the smallholders’ market access as intermediaries.
The business model is filling a gap by reaching livestock farmers in underserved communities through selecting local entrepreneurs and equipping them with a line of suitable veterinarian products and services, training and branding materials.
Eco-Inclusive Impacts
By improving the productivity of the whole livestock value chain, Ziweto creates stable employment for contracted franchisees as well as increased livestock productivity of local farmers.
Improving access to livestock products for rural population.
Providing remote rural farmers with know-how on livestock, animal health and business management.
Decreasing negative effects from overuse of conventional antibiotics and other livestock treatments.
Promoting husbandry of indigenous animals adapted to local conditions.
Reducing the use of chemical fertiliser by promoting organic manure production.
Raising public awareness of the benefits of sustainable livestock techniques.
Creating additional job opportunities for 50 local franchises by 2018.
Increasing income of remote livestock farmers by more than 40%.
Decreasing costs resulting from disease and livestock mortality.
Improving farmers’ access to formal financial schemes.
Partners
Ziweto Enterprise provides rural livestock smallholders with access to veterinary advice and other animal health products and services. Through a franchising model, Ziweto enables entrepreneurs to establish agro-veterinary shops, improving the livelihood of underserved communities in rural Malawi.
The IFA Foundation presented Ziweto with the NextGen Social Franchise Award, which provides recognition to successful franchising businesses.
The Tony Elumelu Foundation in Nigeria is the largest african philanthropic initiative devoted to entrepreneurship and has provided support to Ziweto.
The University of New Hampshire has provided entrepreneurial training to Ziweto via their Social Sector Franchise Accelerator programme.
fledge.com, a US company, is an investor as well as a mentor to Ziweto. The enterprise has benefited from a 10 week-long acceleration programme and was introduced to a vast network of Investors.
The African Agri-business Academy (AAA) is a pan-African business platform for small and medium-sized agrifood enterprises and provides Ziweto with agribusiness expertise.
Rural Livelihoods Economic Enhancement Programme (RLEEP), an 8-year Programme that is co-financed by IFAD, OPEC Fund for International Development (OFID) and the Government of Malawi, supports Ziweto.
