Regional Markets

3 Cases
Photo: ©FAO/Simon Maina / FAO
3.4 Smallholder banana farmers access
up-market value chains in Zimbabwe
Elton Mudyazvivi
Introduction
Like other neighbouring countries, Zimbabwe’s national economy is largely dependent
on agriculture (estimated at 15–20% of GDP for 2008). It provides both livelihoods
and valuable foreign currency secured through export. Exact population statistics are
more difficult to secure. Zimbabwe has a somewhat stronger urban split than other
sub-Saharan African countries (of the estimated 11-12 million inhabitants, 69% are
estimated as rural with the remaining 31% classified as urban). Nevertheless, the majority
of the population is engaged in the agricultural sectors, primarily as smallholders in
subsistence farming with modest surplus marketing (FAO/WFP 2008).
How can smallholder communities seize opportunities for prosperity and climb out of
poverty in a sustainable way? Smallholder communities in the Honde and Rusitu valleys
of Zimbabwe, some 300 km to the east of the capital Harare, managed to achieve
this goal. They turned what used to be a free time, small-scale banana production into a
profitable cash crop. Integration into a viable and inclusive value chain, followed up by
the building of strong farmer institutions and a sustainable business model, was instru-
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