Transforming Food Systems Impacts and insights from scaling innovations in Zimbabwe

In 2021, the Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation (SDC) and the Pan-African Bean Research Alliance (PABRA) concluded the seventh and final year of the Zimbabwe flagship project. In the past seven years, the bean industry in Zimbabwe has undergone a significant transformation. This document details the food
system transformation, processes and outcomes from varying perspectives. Barriers to quality seed, bean production expertise, profitable bean markets, and nutrition caused smallholder bean farmers significant hardship. In response, five flagship initiatives on seed production and distribution, bean markets, demand-led
breeding, labor-saving technologies, and nutrition-sensitive agriculture were launched. In 2020–2021, these were negatively impacted by the global pandemic of COVID-19. Farmers' access to inputs and services diminished. Throughout the duration of the pandemic outbreak, the project utilized its skilled local extension officers and local partnerships to maintain operations. Contracts were maintained between seed houses,
aggregators, and producers, allowing for the continuation of business arrangements.