Improved market access through BDS training
By providing BDS training to the farmers, the project empowers the farmers to negotiate as well as determine the price of their produce.
29 February 2020
HARARE (ILO News) “We sell our tomatoes to intermediaries at Mbare Musika Vegetable Market in Harare and whatever remains unsold is thrown away because it is costly to transport it back,” said twenty-two year old farmer, Prosper Chawarerwa while he and his brother were watering and weeding a healthy crop of tomatoes.
Mutoko is about 150km from Harare.
Rural farmers in Mutoko and surrounding areas face serious difficulties in accessing markets to sell their produce. They are constrained by poor road network from their farms, high transportation costs, limited knowledge, and the lack of business skills and an organization that could give them the bargaining power they require to interact on equal terms with other market intermediaries. “We have no say over the price, even though we know it is very low, there is no room to negotiate. At least we get something to sustain ourselves” attested Prosper.
With markets for agriculture products becoming more complex with demand for high-value products growing, there opportunities for rural farmers to earn more from their produce and complement the traditional markets.
The African Development Bank funded Youth and Women Empowerment Project that is being implemented by the International Labour Organization in partnership with the Government of Zimbabwe, is establishing anchor
enterprises to value add produce, connect rural farmers to markets and ensure their produce meets market standards. The project is also supporting the capacity development of rural producers. About 204 producers have received business management and financial Literacy training. This training has reduced the unequal distributions of power, which means small produces can negotiate better prices for their produce. “With this training I am now able calculate the cost of producing my crops and know what price to request in the market,” said Mable Shamba while giving testimony after the training in Mutoko District.
With this intervention, farmers have been enabled opportunities to access to markets and negotiate for better prices. With better access to domestic and international markets, the small producers can reliably sell more produce, aim to produce better quality to satisfy international markets, leading to higher prices and income. This in turn encourages farmers to invest in their own businesses and increase the quantity, quality and diversity of the goods they produce.
Mutoko is about 150km from Harare.
Rural farmers in Mutoko and surrounding areas face serious difficulties in accessing markets to sell their produce. They are constrained by poor road network from their farms, high transportation costs, limited knowledge, and the lack of business skills and an organization that could give them the bargaining power they require to interact on equal terms with other market intermediaries. “We have no say over the price, even though we know it is very low, there is no room to negotiate. At least we get something to sustain ourselves” attested Prosper.
With markets for agriculture products becoming more complex with demand for high-value products growing, there opportunities for rural farmers to earn more from their produce and complement the traditional markets.
enterprises to value add produce, connect rural farmers to markets and ensure their produce meets market standards. The project is also supporting the capacity development of rural producers. About 204 producers have received business management and financial Literacy training. This training has reduced the unequal distributions of power, which means small produces can negotiate better prices for their produce. “With this training I am now able calculate the cost of producing my crops and know what price to request in the market,” said Mable Shamba while giving testimony after the training in Mutoko District.
With this intervention, farmers have been enabled opportunities to access to markets and negotiate for better prices. With better access to domestic and international markets, the small producers can reliably sell more produce, aim to produce better quality to satisfy international markets, leading to higher prices and income. This in turn encourages farmers to invest in their own businesses and increase the quantity, quality and diversity of the goods they produce.