Online Reporter
Theseus Mauruki Shambare
Herald Correspondent
AT least 2,5 million registered farmers under the Zimbabwe Mercantile Exchange are set to be empowered to increase agricultural production, improve market access and strengthen Zimbabwe’s food security under a new partnership between the World Food Programme and the commodity exchange.
The initiative, launched through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Harare yesterday, seeks to empower smallholder farmers through structured agricultural markets, warehouse receipt financing, improved storage systems and transparent commodity trading.
The partnership is expected to reduce post-harvest losses, improve access to finance and ensure farmers receive fair value for their produce while building resilience against climate and economic shocks.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, ZMX chief executive officer Mr Collen Tapfumaneyi said the agreement marked a milestone in efforts to transform Zimbabwe’s agricultural markets into efficient, transparent and inclusive systems that benefit smallholder farmers.
He said although agriculture remains the backbone of Zimbabwe’s economy and supports millions of livelihoods, many farmers continue to face challenges that include limited market access, inadequate storage facilities, post-harvest losses and constrained access to finance.
Mr Tapfumaneyi said the collaboration would combine WFP’s global expertise in strengthening food systems with ZMX’s emerging market infrastructure to create practical market-based solutions capable of improving agricultural productivity and long-term resilience.
He said the partnership would strengthen the capacity of smallholder farmers to participate in structured markets while improving standards in commodity grading, storage and warehouse receipt systems.
“The smallholder farmer is vulnerable, but they do the most in terms of production volume for food security,” he said.
“It is very imperative that we look at this partnership to capacitate the smallholder farmer to participate in structured markets, improve the quality and integrity of our warehouse receipt systems through enhanced standards and training.”
Mr Tapfumaneyi said ZMX has more than 2,5 million registered farmers whose productive potential could strengthen national food security if they are fully integrated into formal agricultural markets.
“ZMX has over 2,5 million registered farmers and if they are well capacitated, these have the potential to feed over 10 million people,.
“Even simple mathematics can tell you that if each farmer produces only one tonne, we are talking of 2,5 million tonnes.”
He said ZMX was also developing platforms that would ensure farmers in remote parts of the country enjoy the same access to buyers and market information as those located near major urban centres.
Mr Tapfumaneyi said equal access to reliable market information would promote fair pricing while protecting farmers from exploitation.
He added that stronger warehouse receipt systems would allow farmers to safely store commodities, access financing using stored grain as collateral and sell when market conditions are favourable, instead of disposing of produce immediately after harvest.
WFP Zimbabwe representative and country director Ms Barbara Clemens said the partnership reflects the organisation’s growing emphasis on building sustainable food systems rather than focusing solely on food production.
She said sustainable food security cannot be achieved through production alone but requires efficient markets, strong institutions and partnerships that connect farmers with businesses, finance and long-term economic opportunities.
“Across the country, farmers are producing valuable commodities and demonstrating remarkable resilience in the face of economic and climate-related challenges,” she said.
“Yet many still face obstacles in accessing reliable markets, obtaining transparent pricing, reducing post-harvest losses and securing the necessary finance to grow their business.”
Ms Clemens said structured marketing systems offered by ZMX would help address those challenges by linking farmers to certified storage facilities and buyers through transparent trading platforms.
She said the partnership also aligns with Government efforts to strengthen rural economies and support the development of Village Business Units through improved aggregation, value addition, financing and marketing.
Ms Clemens said WFP’s long-term objective was to strengthen local institutions and national systems capable of sustaining food security long after external assistance has ended.
She said stronger market systems would not only improve farmers’ incomes but also contribute to Zimbabwe’s broader ambition of achieving food security and food sovereignty.
The partnership includes support for enhanced laboratory capacity to improve commodity quality assurance and strengthen confidence in Zimbabwe’s agricultural value chains.
