Meet the People of Green Fuel: Stories from the Frontlines of Ethanol Production

 In the rolling fields of Zimbabwe’s Lowveld, a quiet revolution is taking place—not just in energy, but in human lives. At the heart of this movement is Green Fuel (Pvt) Ltd, a pioneering biofuel company co-founded by businessman Billy Rautenbach. While much has been written about the company’s large-scale impact on Zimbabwe’s energy sector, this story focuses on the people behind the progress—the farmers, technicians, engineers, and community leaders who power Green Fuel’s daily operations.

From Subsistence to Sustainable Income: The Smallholder Farmer’s Story

Before joining Green Fuel’s outgrower program, Tatenda Moyo, a 32-year-old farmer from Chipinge, struggled to sustain his family through subsistence agriculture. Seasonal droughts and market uncertainties kept his income low and unpredictable. In 2015, Tatenda joined the company’s outgrower scheme, where Green Fuel provides access to sugarcane seedlings, agricultural training, and guaranteed offtake.

“Now I can plan for my children’s school fees and even save for the future,” Tatenda says. “They taught us modern farming methods, and I’m earning more than I ever did before.”

Tatenda is one of over 800 smallholder farmers who have found financial stability through Green Fuel’s inclusive value chain.

Women in Biofuel: Engineering a New Future

Chipo Ndlovu, a mechanical technician at Green Fuel’s ethanol plant, is a trailblazer. In a traditionally male-dominated field, she has risen through the ranks thanks to the company’s technical training programs and its emphasis on gender inclusion.

“When I started, I was one of just three women on the floor,” she recalls. “Now we are more than 20, and we are encouraged to take on leadership roles. This place has given me more than a job—it has given me confidence.”

Green Fuel continues to promote women in STEM careers, creating pathways for growth in areas once closed to many.

Youth Empowerment Through Skills Training

Twenty-one-year-old Tafadzwa Nyathi joined Green Fuel’s vocational training initiative straight out of secondary school. Today, he is a certified electrician maintaining essential power systems at the Chisumbanje ethanol plant.

“I had no idea about electrical work before this. Green Fuel took me in, trained me, and now I have a career I’m proud of,” says Tafadzwa. “I support my mother and siblings because of this opportunity.”

Programs like this aim to reduce youth unemployment while building a skilled local workforce for the region’s growing green economy.

Building Communities Beyond the Fields

Green Fuel’s impact extends well beyond job creation. The company has invested in building schools, healthcare clinics, clean water infrastructure, and even housing for employees and nearby residents. Community leader Moses Mutasa highlights the transformation in Chisumbanje over the past decade.

“Before Green Fuel came, we had no roads, no clinics, and very few opportunities for young people. Now, we have a community that’s growing and thriving,” he says.

The company works closely with local councils and residents to ensure projects align with real needs.

A People-First Energy Model

Behind every liter of ethanol produced at Green Fuel is a story of growth, learning, and opportunity. While the company is a leader in Zimbabwe’s energy transition, it is also becoming a blueprint for how industrial ventures can be deeply rooted in social progress.

Billy Rautenbach’s vision for Green Fuel was never just about energy—it was about empowerment. And that vision comes to life every day in the people who work the fields, maintain the machinery, teach the classes, and build the communities.

Conclusion

The Green Fuel story isn’t just about production capacity or renewable energy metrics—it’s about people like Tatenda, Chipo, Tafadzwa, and Moses. They are the faces of sustainable development in action. Their stories remind us that real change happens not in boardrooms, but on the ground, where hope meets opportunity.