Marketing

Since 2000 Pro-Africa implemented 52 small scale irrigation horticulture gardens (further 7 new projectswill be established soon) during the period of 2011-2013 (6 to 20hectare). The irrigation schemes are financially supported by international Non-Government Organisations in connection with Pro-Africa as implementing partner.

Other NGOs in cooperation with INGOs did similar development progress. During the last 10years the communities received training in terms of biological agriculture, hygiene, AIDSawareness, business - administration and environment issues.Funds were not available to promote marketing: Pro-Africa cared for the marketing issue, rose from the “bottom”, anddiscussed permanentlythe marketing problemswith the farmers. The communities are in dire needs of an association for promoting and selling their products. This is seemingly necessary to support the communities as mediator and advocate, to assure that contracts and conditions are ecologically/socially/sound.

The first objective: to improve and help to raise the living standards of farmers by having an assured food security for themselves and their communities and to empower the local community is fulfilled.

The second step: to increase the production of speciality high value organic crops for the market, local and export markets and networking with business partners (contract farming) is on-going.The legalisation of the national biological certification (IFOAM standard) is in preparation through ZOPPA. Contacts to international social/ecologicallyacceptable production markets and partners are observed (like GEPA) and other international organisations.

Community Managed Sustainable Agriculture (CMSA)promoted by; The Agriculture and Rural Development Unit of the Sustainable Development Department at the World Bank are supporting this holistic approach in development countries as well as other International partners.

Establishing a marketing association for ecologically/socially acceptable agricultural production in Matabeleland.

For the development of the community’s projects (CMSA) marketing umbrella organisation, it appearsindispensable that NANGO, as umbrella organization of NGOs is the force behind to develop such an organisation. The involvement of many organisations (CBOs, NGOs, and INGOs) and the government authorities needs to be organized, coordinated and registered in the right way.

The aim is to develop a local marketing network (CBO for marketing) in 7 Districts of Matabeleland, organized in sub divisions for each district.The workshops will be held in a bottom to top approach taking in consideration, that thereal situation analyses of marketing will be discussed by the farmers and summarised in a baseline study. Questionnaires to summaries the problems, challenges and expectations of the communities are already given to the communities and will be part of the baseline to guarantee the bottom to top approach.

The Marketing Board, or any other organized form of marketing (depended on the findings of the base line and the democratic solution of the farmers) should take into consideration the principals of (CMSA):

• The products must be produced in an ecologically/socially acceptable way;
• The members must be a Community based Organisation;
• The products must be biological

The marketing board will develop ecologically/socially conditions which are acceptable for the producers and buyers like:

• Secure contract farming
• Stable sub marked infrastructure (within the District)
• Access to market information
• Registration of biological certification
• Marketing possibilities
• Change of production chain to verify the diet in the communities directly.
  

Step 1
The approach will be from the bottom to the top. Therefore it is necessary to organize workshops in all 7 affected districts to brainstorm and summaries the information, ideas, opportunities and realistic possibilities.

Step 2
Will be the establishment of a draft constitution and the involvement of other stakeholders NGOs, Government authorities,partnership organisations (like GEPA etc.) and private partnerships.

Step 3
Will be the formulation and instalment of the marketing board; its responsibilities and goals will be definite and a work- and PME plan be established.

Output
Establishment of an umbrella organisation for agriculture products:

“Marketing board for ecologically/sociallyacceptableagriculture production in Matabeleland”

Pro-Africa did already marketing activities:

Organised farmer marketing days in Bulawayo
Organised contract farming between agro dealers/ companies/hotels/schools etc- and the communities
Workshops with the topic marketing
Establishment of cultivation planes for crop production

Plan

Year 1

Year 2