Fact Check: Yes, this is a fake invitation for Zim farming grants

Claim: A letter circulating on social media purported to be a ‘grant funds approval letter’ from the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development responding to applicants who had requested to be considered for a farming/agribusiness grant fund programme. The letter dated 5 June 2024 is ‘signed’ by Davis Marapira who is said to be the Chairperson of the Grants Committee.

Is this True or False
Verdict: False

Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development (MoLAFWRD) put out an official statement distancing itself from the farming/agribusiness grant programme, reassuring the public that they do not run such a ‘malicious’ programme.

The Ministry dismissed the letter as part of, “fraudulent activities” being conducted by individuals impersonating the agricultural authority with the intention of “deceiving and defrauding unsuspecting individuals and entities”.

MoLAFWRD urged the public to be alert and ensure that any communication claiming to be from the Ministry comes from its official platforms listed below:

Facebook: Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Zim,
X : @MOLAFWRD_Zim
Website: www.agric.gov.zw

Further verification by ZimFact shows that a similar copy of the letter has been used to scam farming enthusiasts from Rwanda and Botswana . In all three instances, the scammers impersonated the agriculture ministry.