market

Agro Market Fair Revolutionizes market linkages

Bulawayo, Zimbabwe– In a groundbreaking initiative, the Bulawayo Vendors and Traders Association (BVTA) through the generous support from We Effect and its strategic partners hosted a transformative agricultural market fair in April 2024, uniting smallholder farmers with informal traders in an unprecedented urban-rural collaboration. The event brought together farmers from Bulawayo, Umguza, and Umzingwane, who showcased an array of fresh and value-added agricultural products. The fair featured an impressive lineup including fresh fruits and vegetables like green peppers, tomatoes, green beans, cucumbers, beetroot, spinach, chomolia, carrots, butternut, mushrooms, and green maize. Additionally, the market boasted dried mushrooms and cabbages, chili sauce, traditional fruit drinks, biltong muffins, dried nuts and corn snacks, and meal-mealie, among other items. This innovative fair wasn’t just about selling produce; it created vital market linkages and fostered economic opportunities. Informal traders, eager for fresh supplies, scrambled to purchase the showcased goods, prompting farmers to replenish their stocks rapidly. Farmers celebrated significant sales and the formation of new business connections, with one exhibitor remarking, “The event was balanced in terms of attendance, featuring key players from banks, packaging, value addition, NGOs, and traders. Youth involvement was particularly impressive, providing a platform for each exhibitor to present their products and services.” A representative from a seedling company highlighted the fair’s success, stating, “We had so much traffic at our stand, made sales above USD $200, and established valuable connections.” The fair provided a complete production chain, from seedlings to end products, with value addition at every stage. This comprehensive approach contributed to the event’s resounding success and has set the stage for the eagerly anticipated official opening of the Nkulumane Fruit and Vegetable Wholesale Market. Held under the Market Aggregation Linking Markets (MALI) project, the fair aimed to promote just and equitable food systems, fostering an enabling environment for economic opportunities, innovation, and diversity. It also seeks to strengthen the capacity of smallholder farmers and informal traders, ensuring sustainable livelihoods and improved incomes. Due to the overwhelming success and high demand, a second market fair is scheduled for May 31, 2024. This ongoing initiative promises to continue transforming the agricultural landscape in Bulawayo, creating lasting economic benefits and strengthening community ties.

Agro Market Fair Revolutionizes market linkages Read More »

Back By Popular Demand: The Second Market Fair is Underway

  The second Nkulumane market fair will be held on May 31, 2024, at the Nkulumane Complex, back by popular demand. Following the tremendous success of the first fair on April 10th, which garnered widespread acclaim, this upcoming event promises to be even more exciting and impactful. The market fair serves as a vibrant platform for farmers, traders, and sellers from across the region to connect, showcase, and trade their goods directly, eliminating the need for middlemen. Attendees can expect a diverse array of products and innovative agricultural solutions, fostering new business linkages and fair trading opportunities. From 6 AM to 6 PM, the Nkulumane Complex will be teeming with enterprise, innovation and connection. Participants will include a broad spectrum of the region’s most enterprising individuals, bringing with them unique products and business initiatives. This event is not only an opportunity to discover the latest in agro innovations but also a chance to support local entrepreneurs and build lasting business relationships. Interested parties are encouraged to apply for a stall to take full advantage of this dynamic marketplace. Exhibition is FREE. For more information or to reserve a stall, please contact +263775332109 or +263774681239. Join us at the Nkulumane Complex on May 31st for BVTA’s second market fair, a celebration of regional entrepreneurship and innovation. Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with the best in local agriculture and trade.

Back By Popular Demand: The Second Market Fair is Underway Read More »