Young tomato farmers reach new markets

Powerless, they had no choice but to accept the low prices offered by middlemen who visited their fields.

“Life was hard. I could not afford to send our young brothers to school, nor could we afford health care for our families. We only had one meal a day and could barely afford proper housing,” said John Biriwasha, who is now the chairman of the Burma Valley Producer Business Group.

Formed in 2010, the group has 25 members who are all tomato farmers. They have received training in tomato production and basic business skills, and have set up a market collection point at Sakubva Market in Mutare, where they can bring their tomatoes to be sold in bulk.

Better prices

They have been assisted by Agri-Link, an NGO that specializes in agribusiness. “Staff from Agri-Link has been holding workshops with us and explained how we could benefit by selling our produce together through them,” said Biriwasha.

By selling through Agri-Link, the farmers have been receiving prices three times higher than those they earned previously. “With the extra income, we are able to send children to school and feed them a wholesome diet. We have also managed to upgrade our houses to more secure brick homes,” Lazarus Kondo, a farmer in the group.

Amos Hwende, a consultant with Agri-Link, said thousands of families will benefit from similar improvements through the Sustainable Horticulture for Income and Food Security in Zimbabwe (SHIFZ) programme, which will work hand-in-hand with the government through the Ministry of Agriculture.

“This programme aims to more than double the incomes of smallholder farmers by connecting them to better markets and boosting their productivity,” he said.

Enhanced efficiency

Agri-Link is assisting tomato producers in various districts. Similar programmes have been done in Masvingo and Macheke.

“We are training these producers in best agricultural practices and helping them to form and strengthen business groups. We are also working with food processors and tomato traders to enhance the efficiency of their operations and create demand for smallholder tomato growers,” he said. Hwende said the organisation puts special emphasis on strengthening the role of unemployed youths in communities and improving food security in individual households.

These small-scale farmers said they faced a number of obstacles to earning higher incomes.

“On our own, we have poor bargaining power. We typically sell to the informal market for low prices. For tomatoes, one of the largest vegetable crops in Zimbabwe, we earn only 10 percent of the crop’s value when selling to the fresh market, and only 2 percent when selling to the processed market,” said Garikai Shonwa, the secretary general of the farmers group.

Banding together

He said by banding together in business groups, the farmers have been able to sell their produce in bulk, connect to better markets and realize more of the crop’s value.

“The business group has offered us a forum to improve farming skills through training and demonstration plots. Our members of the business group are better able to access critical inputs and services such as seeds, fertilisers, irrigation systems and credit,” Shonwa said.

Hwende said Agri-Link had facilitated the construction of market collection points, physical structures where farmers can bring their produce to be sorted, packaged and sold. Each collection point is owned by a producer business group, but also serves several more, giving the farmers even greater bargaining power.

Protection

The collection point makes it easier for farmers to connect to buyers, and the structure helps protect easily damaged tomatoes.

David Mulai has seen the benefits of selling through a market collection point. “I have been able to improve the quality of my tomatoes and expand production after receiving training from Agri-Link. I now earn a higher price by selling through the collection point,” he said.

As a result Mulai was able to move his family of five into a brick house and send his children to school. He has become a leader in his community and offers trainings to help other farmers solve production challenges.

“Everything has changed for my business and my family,” Mulai said. “I have the certainty of a ready market for my tomatoes, and good prices that enable me to realise a profit,” he added.