services and products
Loan Access Facilitation and Management
Loan Access Facilitation and Management
Products Development and Processing
Products Development and Processing
Markets -Oriented Training & Advise
Markets -Oriented Training & Advise
About Us
The word Mkambo refers to market in isiNdebele language. It has the same connotation in the Shona language though in Shona, the word Musika commonly refers to the market One of the challenges facing Zimbabwean agriculture and rural development is lack of reliable, usable and timely information, evidence and knowledge for effective decision making. A significant part of the available information is either out-dated or dispersed in various institutions, people and environments. When projects and programmes by various NGOs, private sector players and other development organisations come to an end, in most instances, there is no clear mechanism for the knowledge that was gathered to be handed over and inform new initiatives. In addition, competition rather than collaboration among organisations in the same sector works against knowledge sharing.
"eMKambo has been working in Agricultural mass markets for more than 10 years and these markets take more than 70% of what is produced in Zimbabwe, that is, indigenous food like small grains, indigenous chickens, fresh produce etc. As eMKambo we monitor these markets to see what is going on there. There is need to form a department at government level that will monitor food to see where it is going, after it is produced.... "
Knowledge Transfer Africa and PELUM Zimbabwe held a Knowledge Café on the 9th of March 2023, to positioning Agroecology within existing Food markets and unpack the looming bumper harvest. Emerging issues from the food system were discussed including: How prepared are we as a nation to handle a bumper harvest? What is the relationship between agroecology and Pfumvudza, among other initiatives toward securing national biodiversity, diets and health? How do we consolidate investments in local food systems? Poor coordination from production to markets has, over the years, resulted in huge losses within the food system especially during and after bumper harvests.
Management Team
Charles Dhewa
Simba Murotwa
Clever Mukove
Tanyaradzwa Musariri
Latest news
The value of connecting seed fairs, community seed banks and mass markets
The value of connecting seed fairs, community seed banks and mass markets African mass food markets are more famous for providing food to diverse classes of consumers and income to a wide range of farmers. However, what remains under appreciated is the role of these markets in promoting indigenous seed systems on which the majority Read more about The value of connecting seed fairs, community seed banks and mass markets[…]
Reimagining community seed banks for resilience and food sovereignty
Reimagining community seed banks for resilience and food sovereignty The fact that food should not be in the hands of corporates is no longer questionable. This is confirmed by the rise in local initiatives like community seed banks and various efforts to raise the profile of grassroots efforts and home-grown solutions. In addition to pushing Read more about Reimagining community seed banks for resilience and food sovereignty[…]
Connecting consumer purchasing decisions with production practices
Connecting consumer purchasing decisions with production practices Agriculture and food systems will become more profitable for many farmers once they start getting a correct sense of what consumers really. At the moment, of the main limitations is weak links between production plans and expectations from the market. This is worsened by the competitive ways in Read more about Connecting consumer purchasing decisions with production practices[…]
Who should quantify opportunities and risks for smallholder food producers?
Who should quantify opportunities and risks for smallholder food producers? The harsh realities associated with rainfed agriculture make it difficult for smallholder farmers in remote parts of African countries to quantify their opportunities and risks. Such a big picture perspective can come from extensive research and real-time information gathering in the market. Even the most Read more about Who should quantify opportunities and risks for smallholder food producers?[…]
Questions that can promote healthy African food through colleges and schools
Questions that can promote healthy African food through colleges and schools Although foreign food continues to find its way into African cities and rural communities, colleges and schools can be effective avenues for reviving and promoting indigenous African food. As knowledge centers, colleges and schools can be huge sources of ideas on how African countries Read more about Questions that can promote healthy African food through colleges and schools[…]
Correcting the underrated value of studying African mass food markets
Correcting the underrated value of studying African mass food markets It is not enough for research conducted in African countries on food systems to end up in academic journals. In most cases there is often no clarity on who benefits from such research and intended uses of the findings. Unless African governments study mass food Read more about Correcting the underrated value of studying African mass food markets[…]
Avenues for cultivating the business face of agroecology in the Global South
Facing the limitations of industrial agriculture, many governments and global organizations are beginning to embrace agroecology and other alternative ways of producing food. Being the application of ecological concepts and principles in farming, agroecology considers the relationships between all the plant, animal, and human elements in a system. There is some emerging consensus that when Read more about Avenues for cultivating the business face of agroecology in the Global South[…]
Technologies for preserving indigenous African food are long overdue
Technologies for preserving indigenous African food are long overdue For many decades, African countries have lagged behind in terms of developing technology for preserving indigenous food systems. What has worsened the situation is that the colonial system brought its own food and seed systems into Africa supported by appropriate technology for processing and preserving food. Read more about Technologies for preserving indigenous African food are long overdue[…]
How African mass food markets use moments of truths to redefine roles
How African mass food markets use moments of truths to redefine roles People who blame middlemen for messing up the market have no idea about the role playing by different market actors to keep the market functioning smoothly. It is when the market is in action that one can see the extent to which the Read more about How African mass food markets use moments of truths to redefine roles[…]
How revisiting the meaning of data can add value to African content
How revisiting the meaning of data can add value to African content The advent of digital solutions has brought confusion to the meaning of the word data. This continues to undermine indigenous knowledge systems and African intellectual heritage in several ways. Academics and researchers have always viewed data as a subset of information that can Read more about How revisiting the meaning of data can add value to African content[…]