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By Charles Dhewa Contrary to the hype in which ICTs are presented as a panacea, ICTs-related costs in many African countries eroding the meagre promised benefits. Countless studies and articles (including this one https://www.techzim.co.zw/2019/03/cost-of-mobile-data-in-zimbabwe-should-we-even-compare/) show that the cost of data is increasing in Africa when such costs are decreasing in other parts of the world….
By Charles Dhewa Not much research is needed to prove that financial systems in most developing countries do not work for the majority of people and for the environment. To the extent that financial systems are fundamentally urban ecosystems, more than 60% of the populations that live in rural areas are not part of mainstream…
By Charles Dhewa Although rural communities in Africa may not directly push-back donor support, murmurings of dissatisfaction with some development interventions are getting louder. Such concerns are being expressed when farmers meet in markets and farming areas. Some community leaders are mastering the courage to loudly reflect on how long they will continue relying on…
By Charles Dhewa Policy makers in developing countries are often blamed for lacking the vision to craft appropriate agricultural policies that can guarantee food security and better standards of living for their people. While good policies are considered magic bullets, there is no sufficient proof that countries that have developed their economies have done so…
By Byron Mutingwende The Simuka-Phakama 2018 Green enterPRIZE Innovation Challenge is creating a platform for green enterprise development and eco-innovation to thrive Zimbabwe by empowering the citizens and businesses, particularly the youth and women, to become drivers of green and decent jobs creation. By facilitating their access to a tailored business development programme, supported by…
Tendai Guvamombe As the national economy continues on a free fall, many people are now increasingly embracing entrepreneurship through various activities in order to make ends meet. A survey conducted by Spiked Online Media at various places in Harare like Glen Norah, Budiriro and Hopely indicates that many people have drastically changed the traditional narrative…
While 70 percent of the population in most African countries live in rural areas, the bulk of food produced in rural areas is consumed in cities. There is still no clear explanation why most of the food produced in rural and marginal areas is consumed by a small population that lives in cities compared to…
By Special correspondent A FUEL solutions technology company, Garage and Forecourt (Pvt) Ltd, is rolling out an ITC based fuel management system that it argues might be panacea to manual and less accurate fuel gauging and management currently dogging service stations. According to managing director Omalli Jani, the new system replaces convectional dipsticks used to…
The United Nations together with the Government and partners today launched a Humanitarian Flash Appeal requesting for USD 234 million targeting 2.2 million people of the nearly 5.3 million Zimbabweans who need assistance until June 2019. The Humanitarian Flash Appeal presided over by the visiting UN Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief…
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) Regional Vulnerability Assessment and Analysis (RVAA) Programme’s Steering Committee held their Annual Organisational meeting on 18 – 21 February 2019 in Swakopmund, Namibia to review the 2018/19 regional vulnerability assessment and analysis activities and consolidate and approve the work plan and budget for 2019/20 implementation year. The Steering Committee…
UN humanitarian chief allocates US$10 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund, says more is required with 5.3 million people in need of assistance following drought and prolonged economic crisis During a three-day mission to Zimbabwe, including a meeting this morning with His Excellency President Emmerson Mnangagwa, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator…
The United States Government announced US$15 million in additional funding to respond to the critical food security situation in Zimbabwe. The contribution, provided through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), brings the total U.S. funding for the current lean season to US$38 million, ensuring nearly 600,000 rural Zimbabweans have adequate food supplies before the…
By Charles Dhewa Reducing market linkages to transactions is one of the major reasons why efforts to integrate smallholder farmers into value chains have failed to transform agriculture in developing countries. While the notion of market linkages is mostly associated with three to five year projects by development agencies, there is a new realisation that…
By the time the next planting season starts, farmers will be able to find a tractor within minutes, anywhere in Zimbabwe. This is part of an ambitious plan by Vaya, a division of Cassava SmartTech, to expand the range of services available on its mobility and logistics App. According to Cassava Smartech Zimbabwe CEO Mr…
A major headache for many developing countries is developing criteria for valuating highly fluid and transitory economic activities that are now more prevalent. Employment creation in agricultural markets and informal business ecosystems is now a major domain for women and youth, most of whom are highly mobile. Economic actors in the trading business specialize on…
The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) in Zimbabwe is working with Government to develop a Gender Sensitive Land Policy which seeks to improve the land governance system through strengthening of the land administration system thus contributing to national development. The formulation of the policy, supported through a Technical Cooperation Programme…
The Founder and Executive Chairman of the Econet Group, Strive Masiyiwa, noted via Facebook that his friend, Akinwunmi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank (AfDB), used to tell him that “Agriculture is not a development activity, but an industry.” That is not far from the truth because the importance of agriculture in Nigeria cannot be…
By Amon Mwashaireni (ARDA Seeds CEO) The season 2018/2019 is proving to be a drought one in most areas across the country. This has been attributed to the El Nino phenomenon which was rightfully predicted by the Meteorological Services Department. Rightly so, the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Rural Resettlement and Climate, encouraged increased production…
By Charles Dhewa Efforts to modernise African agriculture continue to focus on the supply-side at the expense of the demand side. In addition to infrastructure-driven agribusiness models, there is an unfortunate belief that agricultural extension is the only important form of knowledge in transforming the agriculture industry. Instead of embracing a holistic approach that identifies…
By Charles Dhewa During times of socio-economic stability, farmers and entrepreneurs can afford to rely on one commodity or value chain. Not when climate change is announcing itself in unpredictable ways. That is why experimentation is no longer a preserve for schools and universities. Farming areas and markets are becoming laboratories for intelligent experimentation among…
The potential for new technology to support African smallholders receives insufficient attention, says director of the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) The huge promise of technology to help improve productivity, profitability and sustainability for African smallholders should be higher on the international agenda, the Global Forum for Food and Agriculture heard. Michael…
By Charles Dhewa Many rural communities in low income countries are fed up with the predatory nature of external development initiatives. According to the WordWeb dictionary, a predatory animal is one that lives by catching and preying on other animals. Predatory tendencies also include living by or victimising others for personal gain. When development agencies…
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) on Thursday 10 January 2019 welcomed a £3.95 million (US$5 million) contribution from the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID) to its 2018/19 Lean Season Assistance programme in Zimbabwe. The contribution will help WFP to provide cash-based food assistance to some 97,000 highly food insecure people…
By Charles Dhewa Hundreds of mobile applications and technology platforms are launched in Africa almost every day, thanks to the promise of digital-fuelled progress. Unfortunately most of the platforms (including those owned by famous mobile network providers) are trotted onto the market prematurely before sufficient pre-testing. There is also confusion between a platform, a portal,…
By Charles Dhewa The fact that countries which have moved toward middle-income status have started by transforming their agriculture sector is no longer debatable. Unfortunately, out of 54 countries in Africa, Ethiopia is mentioned as the only one on the path to meaningful agricultural transformation. The rest are still running from pillar to post, chasing…
Pamwe Capital has proposed to invest in Zimbabwe’s key economic development sectors as a response to the country’s openness for business. Speaking at a breakfast meeting organised by Pamwe Capital at a local hotel in Harare, Priscah Mupfumira, the Minister of Environment, Tourism and Hospitality Industry said Zimbabwe has good opportunities for investors especially…
The Agricultural and Rural Development Authority is proud to have its subsidiary, ARDA Seeds, that is providing seeds as a critical input to ensure bumper harvests for all farmers countrywide. Speaking to Spiked Online Media, Jemitius Mukiwa, an ARDA marketing executive said ARDA SEEDS (Pvt) LTD is a registered private company wholly owned subsidiary of Agricultural…
New study by Malabo Montpellier Panel finds potential to expand irrigation across 47 million hectares in Africa, and boost agricultural productivity, livelihoods and economic growth. Helping more farmers to access and use irrigation systems holds the key to African countries meeting hunger and food security targets, a new report sets out. Food production in Africa…
Africa must unlock the power of its women and girls if it is to adapt to climate change, cope with disasters and build its green energy sector By Special Correspondent That is the message from African delegates as the world prepares to implement the Paris Agreement on climate change in Katowice, Poland, this week. Research…
The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) has emphasised on the need to address Highly Hazardous Pesticides in Zimbabwe. Speaking at the HHP workshop held in Harare on 13 December 2018, Gabriele Ranieri (Officer in Charge) FAO Subregional Office for Southern Africa, said the world over, countries are facing the challenge…
By Charles Dhewa In spite of millions of dollars that have gone into market linkage initiatives in developing countries over the past few years, farmers still struggle to sell their commodities profitably. Post-harvest losses have not gone down, gluts continue to alternate with shortages and relationships between farmers and processors have not improved. This suggests…
The Embassy of Sweden announced today SEK 45 million grant to the Zimbabwe Resilience Building Fund (ZRBF) to allow the timely roll out of the Crisis Modifier. Crisis modification is used in Resilience building as a tool to implement early actions based on early warning, in this case to better prepare the communities to withstand…
By Byron Mutingwende Mrs Bernadette Warambwa has a colour-illustrated book that encourages healthy eating using resources from our local environment. Titled “Nutrition from Our Environment” the book contributes towards the promotion of sound nutrition in both rural and urban areas. “The book is unique in its own ways and displays culinary genius….
People in rural areas who largely depend on agriculture for their livelihoods are grappling a changing climate and unpredictable weather that are putting an additional strain on food production and increasing food prices, the President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) Gilbert F. Houngbo has said. He made the remarks at a press conference attended by…
By Charles Dhewa In the absence of evidence-based agricultural policy formulation and implementation, most developing countries always rush to import food without sufficiently understanding their national contexts. During gluts, farmers in areas where fruits are produced in abundance do not benefit from selling nationally compared to when there are shortages. On the other hand, when…
Hubert Boulet is the Programme Coordinator of the Sustainable Wildlife Management (SWM) Programme at Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) HQ in Rome, which is working in 13 pilot countries, including Zimbabwe. The SWM Programme is a major seven-year African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP) initiative, implemented by FAO, that seeks to reduce hunting…
Nelson Chamisa, the President of the MDC Alliance on Saturday 1 December 2018 said it is noble to plant trees since they are good for the environment, the earth and its future. “Today, I was in Norton to plant what I termed ‘the New Zimbabwe Democracy tree’. We aim to plant two million trees annually…
In his first visit to Zimbabwe since taking office as President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Gilbert F. Houngbo will meet President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa and other government officials to discuss investments to improve food and nutrition security, provide employment opportunities for rural youth, and reduce poverty. The visit will take…
By Charles Dhewa It is not only revenue streams that tend to be seasonal for farmers in developing countries. The demand and use of knowledge also follow seasonal patterns. From leaking market sheds in Mbare market of Harare and makeshift stalls in Mitundu market of Lilongwe to landslides in the land of a thousand hills…
By Byron Mutingwende The success of the Vulnerability Assessment and Analysis (VAA) efforts in the SADC region depends on strengthening communication and advocacy and data and information management systems. This emerged at the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Regional Vulnerability Assessment and Analysis (RVAA) workshop in Johannesburg from 19 to 21 November 2018….
Developing countries that remain stuck in colonial governance structures and forms of business are sleeping-walking into all kinds of crises. Some of the colonial forms of business still being practiced in most African countries include sole trader (traditional enterprises), companies, cooperatives and partnerships which function through mutual agreement to pool resources and skills together for…
By Byron Mutingwende The Scaling Up Nutrition Research and Academic Platform (SUNRAP) seeks to provide credible evidence by undertaking quality research, and strengthen the technical capacity of stakeholders (through appropriate training), to deliver a cohesive multi-sectoral action that improves food and nutrition security outcomes. This emerged at the combined Scaling Up Nutrition networks…
By Byron Mutingwende Grassroots Women under the auspices of the Zimbabwe Parents of Handicapped Children Association (ZPHCA) have vowed to ensure food security beyond the adverse effects of climate change. “Grassroots Women from Harare and Mashonaland East Provinces are implementing strategies to ensure food security and nutrition in spite of the adverse effects…
By Charles Dhewa Narrowing the gap between formal and informal economies remains a big challenge for many African countries. Instead of increasing interdependence between the two economies, in countries like Zimbabwe, the gap between the two economies seems to be widening. As if that is not enough, academia, politics and financial institutions remain…
By Byron Mutingwende Ms. Caroline Mozhendi, the Econet Head of Agribusiness has encouraged the use of technology to combat the effects of climate change by farmers in Zimbabwe. Ms. Mozhendi made the remarks during an event whereby Ecofarmer joined the Shamva Agricultural College in celebrating 34 students who graduated at the institution on Friday…
