Charles Dhewa

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Where does agriculture begin and end?

If the world continues to value farmers rights and human rights at the expense of natural or ecosystems rights, we will not be able to combat climate change.

By Charles Dhewa Aug. 31, 2022

Mechanising value chain nodes could make a difference in African food systems

Mechanizing the preservation of tubers and small grains can also go a long way in averting food losses and ensuring nutrition security in most African countries.

By Charles Dhewa Sep. 6, 2022

Mechanising value chain nodes could make a difference in African food systems

African mass food markets as bases for business identities

Most of the business models begin as soon as food commodities get into the market.

By Charles Dhewa Sep. 16, 2022

African mass food markets as bases for business identities

Pathways for repurposing resources are long overdue in developing countries

As long as private property laws are not revamped, it will remain difficult for African countries to create growth avenues for the young generations.

By Charles Dhewa Sep. 28, 2022

Pathways for repurposing resources are long overdue in developing countries

Poor co-ordination makes it difficult to see where African food systems are going

EVEN when sufficient funding is made available, African countries may fail to feed themselves and produce excess food for export in a consistent manner.

By Charles Dhewa Oct. 4, 2022

Poor co-ordination makes it difficult to see where African food systems are going

Whose role is it to convert natural resources into decent employment?

While short-term strategies are ideal for firefighting and dealing with emergencies, real impact can come from long-term planning at national level.

By Charles Dhewa Oct. 11, 2022

Whose role is it to convert natural resources into decent employment?

Unknown side of food processing, value addition in African countries

The assumption is that investing in food processing and value addition will lift people out of poverty and create local employment.

By Charles Dhewa Nov. 4, 2022

Unknown side of food processing, value addition in African countries

Long-term planning can get rid of land barons

Traditional leaders have become another version of land barons. Abusing their roles as custodians of traditional land.

By Charles Dhewa Nov. 16, 2022

Long-term planning can get rid of land barons

Impact of commodity shrinkage on African farmers

SHRINKAGE in business lingo refers to cases whereby commodities become dry, thin and weak

By Charles Dhewa Nov. 25, 2022

Impact of commodity shrinkage on African farmers

Promising avenues for funding African mass markets

Bureaucracy in loan processing In countries like Zimbabwe, it takes at least three weeks to a month for a bank loan application to be processed.

By Charles Dhewa Dec. 6, 2022

Promising avenues for funding African mass markets

African mass food markets decolonising entrepreneurship

These markets operate 24 hours a day for the whole year, supporting millions of African populations as well as horizontal and vertical food and non-food industries.

By Charles Dhewa Dec. 13, 2022

African mass food markets decolonising entrepreneurship

African mass food markets: Honing expertise in decolonising entrepreneurship

There was no space for developing an entrepreneurial mindset within Africans among most African economies.

By Charles Dhewa Dec. 23, 2022

African mass food markets: Honing expertise in decolonising entrepreneurship

Aggregation is the only way of returning African farmers to profitability

Food processors often struggle to get raw materials for processing due to fragmented production and distribution systems in several production zones.

By Charles Dhewa Jan. 4, 2023

Aggregation is the only way of returning African farmers to profitability

Time to decolinise procurement processes

By coercing every formal institution to procure food through registered companies, government procurement procedures incentivise some of the most greedy middlemen who reap off farmers.

By Charles Dhewa Jan. 13, 2023

Time to decolinise procurement processes

A ready market is more important than food handouts, free inputs

Instead of bringing food from elsewhere, government and development agencies can make a difference by providing a ready market for local food.

By Charles Dhewa Jan. 27, 2023

A ready market is more important than food handouts, free inputs

Of leaders, climate change, food sovereignty

It is good that climate change and food sovereignty are also finding their way into corporate boardrooms.

By Charles Dhewa Feb. 1, 2023

Of leaders, climate change, food sovereignty

Business vs financial literacy

Instead of demonising the informal economy, policymakers, financial institutions and researchers can benefit a lot from investing in this vibrant socio-economic ecosystem.

By Charles Dhewa Feb. 7, 2023

Home-grown economy versus foreign currency-driven economy

In the absence of basic information on the role of government departments, ordinary people lack appreciation of the role of government.

By Charles Dhewa Feb. 24, 2023

Home-grown economy versus foreign currency-driven economy

How can communities protect their food systems from external influence?

Communities cannot protect what they do not know.

By Charles Dhewa Mar. 2, 2023

How can communities protect their food systems from external influence?

The curse of imported knowledge, investment models

Instead of relying on imported equipment, knowledge and innovations, indigenous knowledge should be given an important role in development.

By Charles Dhewa Mar. 8, 2023

The curse of imported knowledge, investment models

Narrow extension models unsuitable for holistic food systems

In most communities, baboons, monkeys, wild pigs and even hippopotamuses often invade fields and homesteads to feed on farmers’ crops and foodstuffs.

By Charles Dhewa Mar. 15, 2023

Narrow extension models unsuitable for holistic food systems

Indigenous commerce should help valuate African economies

Some of the principles of indigenous African commerce expressed through mass food markets

By Charles Dhewa Mar. 22, 2023

Indigenous commerce should help valuate African economies

When status is greater than money in the bank

As an expression of neo-liberal commerce, industrial agriculture focuses on cost of inputs like chemicals, fertiliser and equipment.

By Charles Dhewa Mar. 29, 2023

When status is greater than money in the bank

Politics should not undermine socio-economic development

Some may have big farms but have no clue how to unlock value from the land after spending years in government and Parliament.

By Charles Dhewa Apr. 5, 2023

Politics should not undermine socio-economic development

Investment in production futile without markets

The price of a bottle of Coke remains the same whether quantities are few or more. Why should not that be the case with necessities like tomatoes?

By Charles Dhewa Apr. 12, 2023

Investment in production futile without markets

Updates: Bulawayo Horticulture products - Markets Analysis

There was a high supply of pumpkins and Mashamba ( amajodo) from Gokwe and Bubi district. Pumpkins were sold at R10 - 3 whereas amajodo were going for $1-2 each depending on size.

By Charles Dhewa Apr. 17, 2023

Updates: Bulawayo Horticulture products - Markets Analysis

How to stimulate development in local communities

There are no clear pathways on how communities can contribute to the achievement of national policies and strategic goals due to absence of community ownership pathways.

By Charles Dhewa Apr. 19, 2023

How to stimulate development in local communities

Enriching climate change discourse with indigenous knowledge perspectives

Fortunately, most rural African communities still have elders who can be considered generators, preservers and conveyors of IKS.

By Charles Dhewa Apr. 26, 2023

Enriching climate change discourse with indigenous knowledge perspectives

A case for local food and indigenous knowledge systems

African researchers have not played a meaningful knowledge building role in examining micro climates and soils in which different indigenous fruits do well.

By Charles Dhewa May. 10, 2023

A case for local food and indigenous knowledge systems

Importance of continuously listening to the market

Continuous dialogue with the market requires a strong system that hosts data on surplus from the production side and match with market needs in terms of quantities and quality aspects.

By Charles Dhewa May. 17, 2023