Overcoming misconceptions about involving users in creating knowledge

Posted on by eMKambo

One of the most enduring misconceptions in developing countries is the notion that if farmers and rural people are not involved in creating knowledge they will not adopt what comes from outside. As a result, billions of US dollars have gone into diverse versions of participatory development approaches. Unfortunately, as soon as donor funding dries Read more about Overcoming misconceptions about involving users in creating knowledge[…]

Lessons from how informal markets keep agricultural knowledge fresh

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Just as agriculture markets prefer fresh fruits, vegetables, meat, eggs and other commodities, knowledge on all these commodities should also be kept fresh. It is through regular visits to the market that farmers are able to keep their knowledge fresh.  Farmers who extend loans to traders in the form of commodities also extend knowledge about Read more about Lessons from how informal markets keep agricultural knowledge fresh[…]

Some of the reasons why small grains continue to resist winner take all commercialization

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From Mali to Zimbabwe and South Africa to Southern Sudan, small grains remain an integral part of mainstream local food systems.  There are many reasons why small grains continue to pack a huge socio-economic punch in many countries.  To revisit and stimulate a frank discussion on the power of small grains, eMKambo has just completed Read more about Some of the reasons why small grains continue to resist winner take all commercialization[…]

The hybrid nature of most African economies

Posted on by eMKambo

Most African economies are often presented as being dual, comprising the formal and informal economy. However, in real practice the two parts function as a hybrid economy which borrows from the two parts. Nowhere is this scenario more visible than in the agriculture sector where there is a fusion of formal and informal approaches all Read more about The hybrid nature of most African economies[…]

Silent and health competition in African fresh food markets

Posted on by eMKambo

A few years ago, it appeared supermarkets were the only place where consumers would find fresh fruits and vegetables in African cities. The situation has changed dramatically.  Armed with new food safety knowledge and insights from consumers, informal and open fresh food markets have become preferred destinations for the majority of consumers. Imported fruits and Read more about Silent and health competition in African fresh food markets[…]

Lessons from how farmers view wealth creation as a holistic system

Posted on by eMKambo

Although there is a tendency to treat the majority of African smallholder farmers as passive recipients of external information and knowledge, they are very good at learning from their experiences. In Zimbabwe, eMKambo has discovered that farming communities and individual farmers contribute to the national knowledge base more than they will ever know. They have Read more about Lessons from how farmers view wealth creation as a holistic system[…]

Taming agricultural value chains through data and evidence

Posted on by eMKambo

Many people who grew up in African communities practicing mixed farming, remember how taming young bulls or steers into a span of oxen was not easy. The situation was the same with taming a cow to milk it when it had just given birth to its first calf. In most cases you would not complete Read more about Taming agricultural value chains through data and evidence[…]

It will take integrative thinkers to fully exploit African resources

Posted on by eMKambo

The majority of African economies are too complex to be fully exploited through current formal education systems that promote silos. While it is important to have expertise in crop production, livestock production, nutrition, road construction and natural resources management, what matters is how all these forms of knowledge can be integrated into a cohesive system. Read more about It will take integrative thinkers to fully exploit African resources[…]

African agriculture requires serious disruptive thinkers

Posted on by eMKambo

If African agriculture is to be truly transformative, there is need for disruptive thinkers who can  revisit boundaries between smallholder and large scale farmers. These boundaries have extended from physical (size of land) to the mind-set, creating unsustainable mental blockages.  Most smallholder farmers have bought the myth that they cannot think big and challenge conventional Read more about African agriculture requires serious disruptive thinkers[…]

How informal agricultural traders capture and preserve customer loyalty

Posted on by eMKambo

They may not advertise their products in the formal media, but informal agricultural traders have results-driven ways of capturing customer loyalty. Most of their skills have been honed over generations into unwritten intuitive laws that almost every trader is aware of. They understand customers more than customers know about themselves.  According to traders in Harare Read more about How informal agricultural traders capture and preserve customer loyalty[…]