Agri-Bussiness

The value of demand and supply data in agricultural value chains

The value of demand and supply data in agricultural value chains

The value of demand and supply data in agricultural value chains Integrating data on demand and supply of agricultural commodities in both formal and informal markets can reveal interdependencies between diverse agricultural commodities.  For instance, it is through data collection and analysis that policy makers, development agencies and potential investors...Read more
How agricultural markets are largely misunderstood

How agricultural markets are largely misunderstood

How agricultural markets are largely misunderstood When policy makers, development agencies, the private sector and ordinary people talk about agricultural markets, they rarely talk about consumer power.  There is often too much emphasis on producers, financing, cold chain, transportation, value addition and processing, yet all these are meaningless if efforts...Read more
An economy where a dollar generates ten times its value by end of day

An economy where a dollar generates ten times its value by end of day

An economy where a dollar generates ten times its value by end of day The notion of financial inclusion being promoted across Africa assumes financial institutions like banks and the stock market are excluding the majority of people including SMEs from financial systems. On the contrary, having been subjected to...Read more
Some of the trends driving the evolution of digital dashboards

Some of the trends driving the evolution of digital dashboards

  Well before COVID19 showed up, many African governments and development organizations had begun investing in digital dashboards as tools for consolidating and presenting information on their activities. In a digital sense, dashboards try to present comprehensive information in real time as opposed to basing decisions on historical data scattered...Read more
How about helping communities to develop their own collective budgets?

How about helping communities to develop their own collective budgets?

Towards the end of every year, African governments request their departments or ministries to submit budget projections covering activities for the following year.  That information is then consolidated into a national budget. To the extent that process does not involve communities who are supposed to benefit from the national budget,...Read more
A dollar earned now is worth more than a thousand dollars coming late

A dollar earned now is worth more than a thousand dollars coming late

A dollar earned now is worth more than a thousand dollars coming late Smallholder farmers, vendors and traders would rather earn their income daily than wait to be paid after a month. This principle is driven by the nature of challenges faced by these low income earners who constitute the...Read more

Addictive tendencies associated with food and knowledge in developing countries

When consumers can no longer do without cassava, nsima/sadza, matoke, tomato, beans, peas, among other foods, it could be an indication that the consumers have become addicted. Such addictive tendencies may have little to do with the food being a staple or a necessity. The way profit-oriented seed companies and...Read more

Asking and answering fundamental questions through informal markets

Street markets or roadside food markets have remained a permanent feature in most developing countries. The fact that these markets continue to flourish alongside emerging shopping malls shows they occupy a unique position in commercial activities.  Informal markets were previously designed for disadvantaged, low income households with ad hoc incomes...Read more

How market price is not a major determinant of profit in agribusiness

A keen interest by African farmers to know the price of commodities on the market is understandable. However, tracking activities in informal agricultural markets by eMKambo over the past few years has proved that price is not a major determinant of profit-making in agribusiness. Profit-making is a result of creatively...Read more