From Zimbabwe to Berlin: A story of smallholder success at Fruit Logistica

Kudzanai Sharara in BERLIN, Germany

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 delegates 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 currently 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.

“We look at gender lenses,” Mr Zirebwa notes.

“Horticulture allows them to do much better. We allocate about 0,1 hectare to a farmer, needing 5 people for the activities, and they can make a net profit of over a thousand dollars in four months. 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.”

Meanwhile, Ms Dephin Mbanje, Farm administrator for Avomac, details their work aggregating produce from outgrowers, particularly targeting widows and child-headed families for macadamia nuts and avocados.

“We help them grow their plantations and market their products,” she says.

The challenge, she notes, is often scale and certification. Her advice to other smallholders is to unite. “Have a united front to meet minimum orders. There is high demand for so much—avocados, macadamias, citrus, even horn melon (gaka). We must align our vision.”

The Zimbabwean presence, coordinated by ZimTrade and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, is in its 5th consecutive year at the fair. Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to Germany, Mrs Alice Mashingaidze, underscores the strategic aim.

“We are engaging and re-engaging markets to create sustainable outlets for our produce and attract investment,” she said following her tour of the Zimbabwe Pavilion on Tuesday. “We have 12 exhibitors here, and they are seeing great potential. This is about achieving our national Vision 2030 through the horticulture sector.”

As day two progresses, the stand buzzes with meetings between buyers, investors and the Zimbabwean delegates.

The critical role of structured, long-term support is underscored by Ms Karen Jiri, commercial director of Cicada, who details an innovative three-year training programme for smallholders.

“We have training centres in Karoi and Honde Valley,” she explains. “We take the farmers through a three-year programme. The first year, they grow maize with us, and we work with them to establish the principles of regenerative or conservation agriculture.”