Livelihoods and Food Security Program – Market Development component (LFSP-MD)

Project Period: Nov14-Mar21

LFSP is a multi-year (2014-21) DFID-funded program being contracted to FAO and The Palladium Group.  FAO is responsible for improving smallholder food, nutrition and income security (under the Agricultural Production and Nutrition (APN) Component) and access to finance (under the Rural Finance component). Palladium is responsible for the development of market opportunities for smallholders (under the Market Development component). The programme, (currently in Phase II) is implemented in ten districts in Mashonaland Central, Manicaland and Midlands districts. APT, which is co-implementing the Market Development component with Palladium, is responsible for the technical delivery of the programme.

Using a Market Systems Development approach (MSD), the programme facilitates implementation of inclusive business models which have potential for pro-poor economic impact in their respective communities. In this respect, various value chains and agribusiness models are continually assessed for pro-poor impact and commercial viability. MD provides targeted support to market actors designed to contribute towards reducing market constraints which limit potential for scale, inclusiveness and long-term sustainability.  Market actors are supported under this component through a range of interventions including co-financing arrangements and / or provision of technical assistance (TA) to enhance the depth, scale and commercial sustainability of supported interventions. In order to provide smallholders with access to goods and services MD works with both National and Local Market Actors. Some of the national market actors are listed in the table below.

Company	Value chain/Service market	Geographic location
Aquafeeds	Aquaculture	Mutasa
B’Ayoba	Baobab	Mt Darwin
Coopers	Cattle and goats	Mt Darwin, Mutare, Kwekwe, Shurugwi
Econet	Information services	Guruve, Mt Darwin
Green Trade	Mung bean	Gokwe South, Guruve, Mt Darwin
IETC	Sesame and soya	Gokwe South, Guruve, Mt Darwin
Kencor	Inputs	Makoni, Gokwe South
Major Family Savings	Inputs	Mutare, Mutasa, Makoni
Mitchview	Goats	Mutare, Makoni, Kwekwe, Shurugwi, Gokwe South, Mt Darwin
Mutasa Auction Floor	Crops	Mutasa
Molus Meats	Livestock	Mutare, Mutasa, Makoni
Peak Trading	Grain and oilseeds	Guruve
PHI	Grain and oilseeds	Makoni, Mutasa, Mutare, Guruve, Mt Darwin
Sondelani	Horticulture and livestock	Gokwe South, Guruve
Westale Trading	Honey	Mutare, Mutasa, Makoni
Zimbabwe Coffee Mill	Coffee	Mutare, Mutasa
Zimbabwe Super Seeds	Seed crops: Maize, groundnuts and sugar beans	Mutasa and Makoni

 

The 2019 annual review, which scored an ‘A’, recorded the following progress on LFSP-MD linked targets:

• 120 market actors (and their models) identified and facilitated
• 31 503 LFSP farmers selling produce (crop and livestock) to open and closed markets
• 35 804 LFSP farmers buying inputs (crop and livestock) from open and closed markets
• 110 market actors (including farmer group enterprises) capacitated through Technical Assistance
• 39 business linkages and partnerships brokered (including farmer group enterprises)
• 4 functional market/extension information exchange platforms (ICT platform) maintained by the programme
• 15 commodity associations supported/strengthened to become local business actors
• 15 policy briefs/working papers produced on key agricultural constraints analysed and discussed with GoZ
• 23 sub-forums convened for policy dialogue