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
Indigenous commerce should inform criteria for valuating African economies
Indigenous commerce should inform criteria for valuating African economies Instead of continuously depending on western criteria to value their economies, African countries and influential institutions like the African Development Bank should develop relevant criteria for valuating African economies. Unless that happens, they will not escape the narrow definition of economic growth which does not translate Read more about Indigenous commerce should inform criteria for valuating African economies[…]
Narrow extension models are no longer suitable for holistic food systems
Narrow extension models are no longer suitable for holistic food systems Besides being instruction-oriented, conventional extension models were designed to promote a narrow range of hybrid crops and livestock. This has rendered extension services in many African countries unfit for purpose given that African food systems are too broad and includes wild life that co-exist Read more about Narrow extension models are no longer suitable for holistic food systems[…]
The curse of imported knowledge and extractive investment models
The curse of imported knowledge and extractive investment models Local communities in the Global South are waking up to the limitations of imported knowledge and extractive investment strategies that leave them worse off. Meanwhile, African countries continue to use land, minerals, oil, gas, timber and many other natural resources to compete for investors. Policy makers Read more about The curse of imported knowledge and extractive investment models[…]
How can communities protect their food systems from external influence?
How can communities protect their food systems from external influence? Answering the above question is at the centre of a campaign being implemented by the Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa (AFSA) in more than 13 African countries including Zimbabwe. Dubbed My Food is Africa, the campaign started in 2022 with baseline surveys to understand Read more about How can communities protect their food systems from external influence?[…]
Local home-grown economy versus foreign currency – driven economy
Local home-grown economy versus foreign currency – driven economy Besides loss of autonomy and exposure to external shocks, countries that are obsessed with foreign currency tend to marginalize the majority of citizens from participating in socio-economic development. Ideally, development should be seen in the well-being of local people. It is through investment in data collection Read more about Local home-grown economy versus foreign currency – driven economy[…]
Communities are not always waiting for external knowledge
Communities are not always waiting for external knowledge Contrary to most top-down extension approaches promoted in most African countries, communities are not always waiting for external knowledge but are often innovating and developing home-grown coping mechanisms. That is why it is important to first assess knowledge gaps first before introducing an idea or innovation. Assessing Read more about Communities are not always waiting for external knowledge[…]
What if business literacy is more important than financial literacy?
What if business literacy is more important than financial literacy? Across the world, bankers and financial institutions are succeeding in turning “financial inclusion” and “financial literacy” into buzzwords. However, what is not emphasized enough is the fact that finance is just a catalyst because money is not a stand-alone ingredient. In fact, it is business Read more about What if business literacy is more important than financial literacy?[…]
Leaders should rise and fall on the Altar of Climate Change and Food Sovereignty
Leaders should rise and fall on the Altar of Climate Change and Food Sovereignty That Climate Change and Food Sovereignty are defining issues of our time is no longer debatable. It follows wherever elections are done across the world, from local councilor to President, leaders should be voted on the basis of their plans to Read more about Leaders should rise and fall on the Altar of Climate Change and Food Sovereignty[…]
A ready market is more important than food hand outs and free inputs
A ready market is more important than food hand outs and free inputs Food hand-outs and free inputs have been over-used to address poverty and food insecurity in most developing countries, yet providing a ready market for existing commodities could be a better solution. In communities where local food like indigenous chickens, goats, sheep, small Read more about A ready market is more important than food hand outs and free inputs[…]
Time to use mass food markets and seed fairs in decolonizing gene banks
Time to use mass food markets and seed fairs in decolonizing gene banks A very important step in decolonizing African food systems is re-defining and contextualizing the meaning of a gene bank. The conventional scientific notion of a gene bank[1] as a type of bio-repository that preserves genetic material ignores the socio-cultural dimension of genetic material. For instance, scientific Read more about Time to use mass food markets and seed fairs in decolonizing gene banks[…]