Zimbabwe’s smallholders display ‘fruit’ of their success at Fruit Logistica

Kudzanai Sharara in Berlin, Germany,[email protected] On the bustling floor of Fruit Logistica, amidst a global panorama of fresh produce, the Zimbabwean stand stands out. It is the second day of the prestigious trade fair and the atmosphere here is one of quiet confidence and tangible ambition. The participants are not only here to secure orders for their own companies but to champion a transformative agricultural movement unfolding back home: the empowerment of smallholder farmers.At the heart of this mission is Takura, represented by its director, Mr William Zirebwa.

“Takura is now a fully-fledged registered company,” Mr Zirebwa explains, standing proudly by displays of vibrant produce. The enterprise began with support from Unki Mine, now part of Valterra Platinum, but its vision is distinctly its own. “Our mandate is to improve livelihoods within our communities, and we see horticulture exports as something which can help accelerate that goal.” Takura’s model is a sophisticated outgrower scheme supporting around 200 smallholders in the Shurugwi and Gweru areas, with plans to expand to a thousand.

Crucially, 70 percent of these farmers are women. “Horticulture allows them to do much better. We allocate about 0,1 hectare to a farmer, needing five people for the activities, and they can make a net profit of over a thousand dollars in four months.

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With three cycles, that’s transformative income for a communal farmer.”The system is designed for accessibility and sustainability. “We raise finance for inputs, so the farmer does not have to worry. We replicate the tobacco model but with communal farmers,” he says.

Takura’s technical team ensures standards are met, and the company handles complex logistics, with farmers repaying the costs at harvest. This support is backed by one of Zimbabwe’s largest purpose-built pack-houses, capable of handling 50 to 100 tonnes of produce weekly. “The vision,” Mr Zirebwa asserts, “will not be achieved through mining but through agriculture.” This focus on smallholders is a unifying thread among the Zimbabwean exhibitors.

Mr Clarence Mwale, chief executive officer of Kuminda, speaks with passionate conviction about another high-value crop: blueberries. “Everyone was against small-scale farmers growing blueberries. We’re the only ones that believe we can do it — and we’re doing it.” Kuminda is pioneering a model partnering with smallholders, already securing a niche as Zimbabwe, with its favourable climate, becomes the first southern hemisphere producer to enter the European market each season.

“We are proving wrong the view that nothing will come from the small scale. We are setting the pace in Africa.” “We help them grow their plantations and market their products,” she says.

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