adminBlessing Rwizi
PRACTICAL Action, in conjunction with Farm Community Trust of Zimbabwe last week held a Regional Farmers Gathering to discuss the effectiveness of the new approach to facilitate market linkages for smallholder farmers.
The initiative is dubbed the participatory market system development (PMSD).
It is an approach that seeks to facilitate the creation of viable market linkages for smallholder farmers.
The discussion was held at Hot Springs, the main objective being to bring together farmers, development workers, extension workers, and local government to discuss the effectiveness of the strategy.
Participants were drawn from Mutare, Nyamaropa, Nyakomba, Nyamarimbira, Nyangombe, Nyarumvurwe, Bende, Domborutinhira, Chipendeke, Chakohwa, Svinurai and Nyanyadzi Irrigation Schemes.
The PMSD project started in 2013 and is ending in 2016.
It is being funded by the Big Lottery Fund.
Manicaland smallholder engagement project manager, Mr Reginald Sithole, said the PMSD approach was established to bridge the gap between farmers and interest groups, especially Government.
“Our aim is to link farmers with different stakeholders to enable them to meet their needs and improve the quality of their livelihoods.
“If people are fully involved in processes that shape market systems those markets are more likely to innovate and deliver appropriate prices that meet the farmers’ needs.
“We also sought to play a constructive role in the province’s economic growth, development and transformation and create an environment in which agribusinesses of all sizes and in all sectors could thrive, expand and be competitive,” said Mr Sithole.
He added that the aim of PA is to leave a strong bond between farmers and other business stakeholders at an advanced stage before the end of their project.
Practical Action has been working with stakeholders at the national, provincial, district and ward levels for the past two years where it trained farmers and facilitate market research for them by enabling to scout different markets around Zimbabwe.
The organisation successfully linked Chakohwa and Chipendeke Irrigation Schemes to Cairns Foods, resulting into a Michigan beans farming contract.
Apart from that, PA also successfully linked Svinurai Irrigation Scheme with micro finance institutions like Zambuko Trust.
Online Reporter