Building Agriculture Competitiveness:Lessons from an International Perspective

Martin C. Weber, Gibson Chigumira and Jecob Nyamadzawo

No 305814, ZEPARU Research Studies from Zimbabwe Economic Policy Analysis and Research Unit (ZEPARU)

Abstract: This paper attempts to assess Zimbabwe’s agricultural competitiveness, in terms of the sector’s performance, and challenges to expanding the sector and improving competitiveness. The paper also discusses key drivers of competitiveness, describes several indicators of agricultural competitiveness, and introduces approaches to competitiveness benchmarking. It advocates for private sector driven, market based agricultural competitiveness, and presents approaches to addressing these challenges, drawing on numerous international experiences. The paper notes that key to improving competitiveness is the need for Zimbabwe to, among other imperatives: reduce losses and costs by improving storage, logistics and transport; improve economies of scale; improve business-business linkages; understand and serve market needs; upgrade and deepen value chains; understand and use standards and certification; lower investment risk; and position products and value chains for greater value and competitiveness. It also notes the need for Government intervention in addressing the policy environment to pave the way for the successful implementation of the several approaches that have been used in other countries to enhance agricultural competitive. The paper thus underscores the need for collaboration between the public and private sectors, and willingness of the public sector to assume responsibility for ensuring a strong platform for competitiveness and an enabling environment that encourages and supports the private sector.

Keywords: Agricultural; and; Food; Policy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 47
Date: 2012
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/305814/files/B ... %20in%20Zimbabwe.pdf (application/pdf)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ags:zepars:305814

DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.305814

Access Statistics for this paper

More papers in ZEPARU Research Studies from Zimbabwe Economic Policy Analysis and Research Unit (ZEPARU) Contact information at EDIRC.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by AgEcon Search ().