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Michael Tome Business Reporter
NATIONAL trade development and promotion body, ZimTrade, is working on enhancing the production of export-oriented crops in rural communities as it moves to decentralise and diversify sources of export in the country.
Commercial farming entities have traditionally been the exclusive exporters of farm produce but there is realisation that smaller communities can venture into the export business through support from the national trade development and promotion organisation.
In that regard, ZimTrade is pushing for the establishment of clusters within producing areas to ensure the upliftment of rural communities.
Clusters will also enable smallholder farmers to meet export required volumes, standardise operations and eliminate middlemen that normally shortchange the smallholder farmers by buying produce at gross discounted and unviable prices.
This is also in line with the devolution agenda under the National Development Strategy (NDS1), which seeks to empower provinces and districts to become national hubs for the production and export of unique products.
As such, ZimTrade with the assistance of Strengthening Competitiveness and Potential for Export for Inclusive Value Chains (SCOPE4IVC) an organisation that seeks to drive the growth of export oriented small enterprises, has managed to establish and enhance bambara nuts and chilli-producing clusters in Chivi district of Masvingo and some areas in Gokwe South.
Twenty farmers under the Zarukai group from Chivi South and Gokwe South have set the ball rolling on the initiative with the production of the two crops steadily growing supported by lucrative prices of the crops on the export market. As established at this year’s fruit logistica trade fair in Germany, bambara nuts (nyimo/indlubu) have a considerable global market judging by strong enquiries at the platform.
The crop has the potential to grow in areas that receive below-normal rains and is considered a good source of protein, consumed alternatively for breakfast or lunch.
According to the Trade map, global import bill of the product was just US$1, 7 million in 2020 and there is great potential to capitalise on the opportunity to supply the global market.
“Currently the Government has been pursuing the devolution agenda, as ZimTrade, we saw it fit to nurture and grow exports from the district level and we have moved to establish export clusters for a number of crops.
“We have been concentrating on towns, we now want to venture into rural communities and see what can be done so that they contribute to the country’s exports,” said Mr Danai Majaha, ZimTrade communications manager during a tour of the projects in Chivi.
This is not the first time ZimTrade has pushed for clusters as the programme had already commenced in Chimanimani where trusts have been established for marketing their bananas and pineapple produce.
“With clusters standardisation becomes easy, they also help in product pricing since it is easy to have a better voice on pricing compared to an individual, this way farmers cannot be shortchanged on pricing,” he said.
According to the Zimbabwe Economic Policy Analysis and Research Unit (ZEPARU) devolution of export sources is critical for value addition and beneficiation, which all make the country realize more earnings from its exports.
Each province in Zimbabwe is uniquely endowed with resources that can support the development of export products with the potential to compete well in the export market.
Chairperson of the Bambara Nuts Association of Zimbabwe (BNAZ) and Zarukai (Chivi Ward 25) group leader Tandiwe Chitanga, said the cluster arrangement had started empowering their livelihoods in the area, with some players now able to school fees and establishing separate business ventures.
She said their cluster has membership in Chivi South and Gokwe South with a current membership of 20 with only four men.
“We used to grow the crop for subsistence, not for business, but we have since adopted organic Bambara nuts production as a business, and clusters have helped us in enhancing our volumes for exports.
“Last year I cultivated about 1, 7 hectares of the crop and this year I have already planted over two hectares this current season given the high returns accruing from the crop,” said Mrs Chitanga.
She, however, pleaded with ZimTrade to continue assisting in looking for markets across the globe.
The other thriving project in the Chivi District was the chilli project where local families converged to start chillies production through the assistance of local supporting organisations.
Kushinga Chilli group chairperson Chipo Mbira, said the venture was beginning to show a glimmer of hope to their livelihoods and was looking forward to doing more, especially if given assistance to irrigate a better size of land from the current one.
“We started doing chilli production in 2021, after approaching SCOPE4IVC with intentions to improve our self-sustenance and grow earnings for our families.
“This is a welcome initiative as this empowers us to change individual livelihoods, we have seen potential in the crop and we intend to grow the size of our acreage, going forward,” said Ms Mbira.
The growing global demand for spices, coupled with dwindling supply from traditional source markets, presents a good opportunity for local producers to increase production and exports of chilli pepper into the global market.
China is one of the world’s largest importers of dried pepper, with a total value of US$508 million in 2021. The major supplier to that market is India with exports worth US$440 million (Trade Map). Chili pepper consumption has increased in China due to the rapid increase of hot pot meals.
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