A couple of weeks ago, the FAO hosted a massive gathering on ‘Sustainable agricultural mechanisation’, with the tag line efficiency, inclusivity, resilience. There were about 8000 delegates at the hybrid event and the FAO gave it a high profile. Agricultural … Continue reading → …
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ZimbabweLand
Zimbabwe’s disputed election: why resource politics matter
Here we go again…. Zimbabwe has a disputed election, with all sorts of deeply damaging uncertainties that will follow, perhaps for years. The final results were announced late at night on 26 August, with Emerson Mnangagwa declared the winner of … Continue reading → …
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Zimbabwe’s election: what are the parties saying about land, agriculture and rural development?
At last one of the major parties contesting Zimbabwe’s election on August 23 has produced a manifesto – in this case the Citizens’ Coalition for Change (CCC), which was launched last week. ZANU-PF remain without one, claiming that they are … Continue reading → …
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Catch up on Zimbabweland – top blogs so far this year
The blog is taking a break for a few weeks as holidays and book-writing deadlines beckon. But there’s plenty to catch up on if you haven’t already. Here’s a list of the ‘top 10’ most viewed posts of 2023 (so … Continue reading → …
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Commercialising horticulture in Zimbabwe: some case studies
Last week the blog offered an overview of horticulture growing across our research sites in Zimbabwe. The blog emphasised the importance of a ‘hidden middle’ connecting growers to a range of other activities, all generating employment. This blog focuses on … Continue reading → …
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Booming horticulture markets in Zimbabwe: a growing ‘hidden middle’
Everyone seems to be growing vegetables (and fruit) these days. It is big business and the horticulture sector is generating income, jobs and secondary businesses like never before. The ‘hidden middle’ in this value web is thriving. In the … Continue reading → …
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NEW books: Why farmer participatory research is essential for agricultural development
The trio of ‘Farmer First’ books published originally between 1989 and 2009 have just been released as open access versions. You can download and share them for free. Together, they make the case that we must put farmers first if … Continue reading → …
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How poultry production generates income and employment: some cases from Zimbabwe
In this final blog in our series on the ‘hidden middle’ around poultry production, we offer a few cases from across our sites. They are categorised according to the typology presented in the first blog in this short series. They … Continue reading → …
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The poultry value web in Zimbabwe: the growing ‘hidden middle’
Beyond the poultry producers discussed in the last blog, there are many different actors in the wider value web. This blog explores the wider ‘hidden middle’ at the centre of the growing small and medium-scale poultry industry in Zimbabwe. With … Continue reading → …
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The growth of small and medium-scale poultry production in Zimbabwe
In this blog we return to the theme of the ‘hidden middle’; those activities that exist between the very small-scale and informal and the larger, more organised formal operations. As we discussed in relation to maize, these activities are vital … Continue reading → …
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