FAO Accelerates Cross-Border Agritrade Solutions at Zimbabwe International Trade Fair

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in collaboration with the Governments of Zimbabwe and Mozambique and with financial backing from the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS), organized a high-level policy dialogue at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF). This initiative aims to enhance the transition of Sesame, Macadamia, and Tomato value chains from informal trading to competitive, export-oriented agro-industrial performance.

Advancing Agricultural Value Chains

The FAO’s side event, held on the sidelines of ZITF, served as a strategic platform for deal-making, policy dialogue, and investment networking. It was specifically designed to further the objectives of the Zimbabwe–Mozambique Agriculture Value Chain and Trade Development Project (Zim–Moza ATDP). This project focuses on the development of agricultural value chains and trade facilitation between Zimbabwe and Mozambique, concentrating on macadamia, sesame, and tomato sectors.

The Zim–Moza ATDP aims to transform agrifood systems, integrate smallholder farmers into global value chains, and promote sustainable economic growth. It emphasizes the formalization of trade, reduction of non-tariff barriers, and encouragement of private sector investment in aggregation, processing, and logistics. Funded by the Italian government with a budget of 3.5 million Euros, the project is set to be implemented over three years.

ZITF 2026: A Platform for Regional Integration

The theme for ZITF 2026, “Connected Economies, Competitive Industries,” underscores the significance of regional integration and trade connectivity. This aligns with the enabling environment that the Zim–Moza ATDP aims to establish along the Beira Corridor and in broader regional markets.

Patrice Talla, FAO Subregional Coordinator for Southern Africa, noted that ZITF brings together essential stakeholders, including farmers, regulators, buyers, financiers, and logistics providers. He emphasized the need to transition from fragmented informal trade to structured, traceable value chains that reward quality, unlock export markets, and attract investment.

Addressing Trade Constraints

The Zim–Moza ATDP is one of two transboundary initiatives launched by Zimbabwe and Mozambique, supported by the Italian government through AICS and coordinated by FAO. Alongside the Transboundary Integrated Sustainable Management of Miombo Woodlands Project, these programs represent an integrated approach linking sustainable landscapes with inclusive economic growth.

The Zim–Moza ATDP specifically targets constraints that hinder cross-border agricultural trade between Zimbabwe and Mozambique. These include informality, weak buyer-seller linkages, limited capacity for sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) compliance, high transaction costs, and deficiencies in aggregation and post-harvest systems.

Maria Cabral, Mozambique’s National Project Coordinator, highlighted that organized trade through farmer aggregation and reliable quality verification can transform sesame into an export earner. She stressed that formalization is not merely bureaucratic; it is a pathway to stable markets, fairer prices, and improved access to finance.

From Policy Intent to Practical Action

The side event was designed to shift stakeholders from shared policy intent to actionable steps. It began with remarks from FAO and partners to align participants with the Zim–Moza ATDP objectives and the opportunities presented by ZITF as a strategic trade and investment platform. The discussion incorporated farmer experiences to ground the conversation in real production and market challenges.

The program included a moderated panel and interactive Q&A session to explore key bottlenecks, particularly regarding SPS and Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) compliance, quality standards, structured markets, and financing. This facilitated agreement among buyers, processors, financiers, regulators, and service providers on practical steps to prepare macadamia, sesame, and tomatoes for export.

Gift Mugano, a panelist from Africa Economic Development Strategies, stated that export competitiveness relies on systems, traceability, standards enforcement, predictable trade rules, and logistics. Markets tend to finance and reward what they can verify.

The Role of Standards and Compliance

Panelists underscored that transforming the macadamia, sesame, and tomato value chains into competitive, export-ready sectors depends on formalization, traceability, and enforceable market rules. They emphasized the necessity of registering farmers and buyers, strengthening contract enforcement and dispute resolution, and establishing structured market platforms to reduce side-marketing while enhancing price transparency and fairness.

Speakers consistently framed standards, grading, and SPS compliance as essential enablers for trade. They argued that compliance should be viewed as an investment that opens access to higher-value markets rather than a cost burden. This aligns with the event’s focus on promoting structured cross-border trade and enhancing institutional collaboration around compliance systems and market access.

Tackling Productivity and Logistics Challenges

Another critical area of discussion revolved around where value is lost before products reach export channels, particularly concerning productivity gaps, post-harvest losses, and inadequate logistics. Panelists noted that while farmers often meet basic safety requirements, they lack sufficient support in handling, packaging, and cross-border compliance, which can drive some trade into informal routes.

They also pointed out that low yields relative to varietal potential and poor post-harvest systems, especially for perishables like tomatoes, lead to distress selling during surplus periods and losses from spoilage. Investments in cold chain logistics, aggregation centers, and coordinated logistics are deemed essential.

Financial Partnerships for Sustainable Trade

Discussions highlighted the importance of investment-enabling finance and partnerships, including blended finance approaches, risk mitigation strategies, and buyer/processor engagement. These elements are crucial for scaling value addition and stabilizing trade flows across the corridor.

FAO and its partners will pursue commitments from the policy dialogue through targeted follow-up actions. These include technical engagements to formalize sesame trade, enhance compliance capacity (SPS/quality systems), and facilitate investment matchmaking for aggregation, processing, and logistics solutions. The Zim-Moza ATDP will continue to convene public-private platforms to translate policy dialogue into operational improvements across the macadamia, sesame, and tomato value chains.

Source: www.zawya.com

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Published on 2026-04-24 23:07:00 • By the Editorial Desk