Overview : As part of the Innovation for Development Programme – more specifically, the Zimbabwe Young Farmers Innovation Lab, UNDP in partnership with the Zimbabwe Farmers Union (ZFU) is seeking potentially game changing solutions to address transport and logistics needs of small holder farmers in Zimbabwe. Young smallholder farmers can find a way out of poverty by increasing the competitiveness of their produce through strengthening public-private sector partnerships across the value chain. In most cases, small holder farmers have a heavy reliance on traditional logistical practices defined by untimely, poorly planned or in some cases missing ‘farm-to-market’ transport systems. Secondly, they grapple with poor handling and storage implying that their produce is poor in quality and low in output. While market linkages are being scaled up, innovative solutions are needed to ensure timely, affordable, rapid and coordinated ‘Farm-to-Market’ Transfer of produce – especially fresh food products. There is need to enhance productivity and profitability of smallholder farmers being increasing their access to appropriate post-harvest technologies – most importantly related to ‘farm to market’ transport. UNDP and ZFU is therefore looking to support young Zimbabwean innovators with ‘game changing’ innovations that can address this problem. |