SUSTAINABILITY
PADENGA AGRIBUSINES (PVT) LTD
ICFA 1001
CERTIFIED
Our Commitment to Sustainable Crocodilian Farming
At Padenga Agribusiness, sustainability is fundamental to our business model. We recognize that the long-term viability of our operations depends on a continued balance between commercial excellence, community empowerment, and environmental stewardship. Our operations are guided by the "Sustainable Use" model, a globally recognized conservation strategy that transforms wildlife into a valuable asset for local stakeholders and ensures the conservation of natural habitats for generations to come. We utilize a dual source production model comprising both on-farm breeding and the ranching of eggs from the wild. By raising these in a controlled environment, we significantly increase the survival rate of hatchlings compared to those achieved in their natural habitat.
Our operations are built upon a foundation of uncompromising regulatory compliance and ethical integrity. We operate in full alignment with Zimbabwean national regulations and conservation protocols, ensuring every aspect of our business supports the biodiversity of the regions in which we operate. Beyond statutory compliance, we voluntarily meet the highest international benchmarks for animal welfare, environmental stewardship, and social responsibility. This commitment is evidenced by our adherence to the ICFA 1001 Standard requirements, ensuring that our processes remain transparent, ethical, and compliant to international best practice.
RENEWABLE ENERGY & CARBON ABATEMENT
As part of efforts to reduce our environmental footprint, solar power generation is a core strategic priority within our operation. We utilise the region’s optimal solar resources, to enhance our energy resilience. Our transition to renewable energy is achieved through a large-scale grid-tied solar system that is synchronized to the national utility infrastructure. By operating as an Independent Power Producer (IPP), we are able to achieve seamless energy synchronization, supporting the stability of the local grid and aligning with the nation’s transition toward sustainable low carbon energy.
RESPONSIBLE WATER STEWARDSHIP
As crocodiles are aquatic reptiles, water is a fundamental input in our operations. At Padenga Agribusiness, we do not view water as a consumable resource, but rather as a borrowed asset. We are committed to ensuring the continued health and vitality of the Lake Kariba ecosystem through a circular management approach to water utilisation. Water is abstracted from the lake, utilised across our farming facilities in maintaining optimal hygiene and animal welfare, and then treated before being returned to the lake environment. Only 3% of the total water abstracted daily is actually “utilised”, primarily through natural evaporation and consumption in households and gardens, representing a remarkably low net consumption total.
WASTEWATER MANAGEMENT & ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Padenga Agribusiness upholds its environmental obligations, balancing stringent Zimbabwean legislative requirements with the high expectations of our local and international stakeholders. We view responsible wastewater management as a critical component of our social license to “operate" and a fundamental requirement for the protection of Zimbabwe’s natural water bodies. Our wastewater management processes have been developed in consultation with regulatory authorities and wastewater management experts, to ensure that discharge remains within prescribed quality limits.
OUR PEOPLE
We recognize that our operational excellence is a direct reflection of the competencies of our human capital. We view our workforce as our most vital asset, the primary drivers of our culture, our performance, and our global reputation for quality. By fostering an environment of mutual respect, we ensure that every team member, at every level, is empowered to contribute to our collective success.
We are committed to building a workplace that is both rewarding and professionally satisfying. Our human capital strategy focuses on three core pillars:
• Employee Engagement and Recognition: We promote a culture where individual performance is recognised and aligned with our corporate goals.
• Continuous Growth: Through ongoing training and skills development programs, we invest in the "upskilling" of our workforce, ensuring our team is equipped to meet the evolving challenges of the agribusiness sector.
• Strategic Leadership: Our management team provides consistent direction, constantly refining our operational systems to foster agility, safety, and efficiency.
Padenga Agribusiness operates with a deep-seated respect for the dignity and rights of every individual. We uphold the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. Our operations strictly protect and respect all forms of human rights, from fair labour practices to workplace safety.
ENVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIP
Padenga Agribusiness appreciates that the Kariba basin is a unique national ecological treasure and that our operations are inextricably linked to its health and vitality. Our environmental strategy is built on the principle of responsible production, ensuring that our operations preserve the natural heritage of the Kariba landscape for the generations that follow.
We are committed to the global transition towards a Net-Zero future. We operate a robust solar infrastructure that consistently delivers clean energy; under peak seasonal conditions, our solar farms significantly reduce our carbon footprint, saving an estimated 1,000+ tonnes of CO2e annually.
We are committed to protecting the water quality of the Kariba basin, ensuring that our presence supports the long-term hydrological health of the system and its downstream rivers. Our water management strategy focuses on extreme efficiency, monitoring usage at every stage of the production cycle to minimize consumption, whilst striving for the highest biosecurity standards.
Transforming waste into a resource is central to our sustainability strategy. Significant volumes of organic feed waste are repurposed as an input for local aquaculture partners, while by-products from our salt-curing processes are integrated into cattle feed production. These initiatives reduce our waste while simultaneously lowering import dependency for other domestic producers. Additionally, we reclaim and repurpose coal ash for internal road maintenance, further reducing our reliance on new raw materials.
Operating within one of Zimbabwe’s most diverse ecological landscapes, we take our role as a guardian of biodiversity seriously. We ensure that our environmental footprint is minimized through the integration of modern technologies and precision resource management, maximizing operational efficiency without compromising the local habitat.
We operate in full compliance with national environmental regulations and international best practices. We employ a comprehensive environmental management system that monitors air, soil, and water quality across all our facilities. By continuously documenting and reporting on our environmental performance and by adhering to rigorous ethical standards, we ensure an open and transparent relationship with our stakeholders, regulators, and the community. Through these measures, Padenga Agribusiness remains a trusted steward of the land and water we share.
SOCIAL IMPACT & COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT
Community empowerment is a core pillar of our business ethos. We believe in creating sustainable partnerships that foster long-term economic independence, financial empowerment and result in tangible social impacts. As a major employer in the Kariba region, we are committed to being a transformative force consistent with good corporate citizenship.
Our social investment strategy includes dismantling barriers to education for children in the marginalized communities where we operate. We provide scholarships to children from primary to tertiary level, with a strong emphasis on gender equity and supporting diverse academic disciplines. In partnership with the Zambezi Schoolbook Project, we also address foundational and infrastructural needs in local schools through the distribution of educational books and learning materials and the provision of solar reading lights to schools and individual pupils. In addition, our community empowerment strategy has included a deliberate focus on strengthening provision of community health by assisting health agencies in their operations. This includes infrastructure repairs of rural health facilities in the areas we operate as well as provision of resources to the same. Beyond education and health, Padenga Agribusiness also focuses on strengthening local social infrastructure. This includes the maintenance of vital assets, such as the Kariba-Makuti highway, ensuring the safety and mobility of the community it serves.
