ZimTrade initiative empowers Matabeleland North craft producers

MATABALELAND North arts and crafts players have applauded the cluster initiative by ZimTrade, saying that it has helped them penetrate the export market, which has seen them selling basketry worth more than US$36 000 in the first two months of 2025.

The adoption of a cluster production system has helped integrate women-led small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Matabeleland North province into the mainstream economy through enhanced capacity to export.

ZimTrade, the country’s trade development and promotion agency, is coordinating the clusters, which are operating in art and craft, where it works closely with SMEs producing for export.

In an interview, the cluster interim chair, Mrs Hildigurd Mafukare, said the establishment of the cluster has managed to help them, with women now able to produce and sell their products outside the country, hence improving their livelihoods.

“ZimTrade assisted us as a cluster, which includes women from Lupane, Tsholotsho, Nkayi, Hwange, Binga, and Victoria Falls, and since then, we are happy because if we sell as a cluster, it becomes easier,” said Mrs Mafukare.

“We have been fortunate, and we managed to break into the external market. We have a client who places orders every second month, and those are not small orders.

“Those who are in the cluster are doing well, but individuals still find it hard to export because they don’t have the capacity to meet the target. We are doing very well, and between January and February, we managed to export products worth US$36 000 from the whole cluster.”

ZimTrade introduced the Matabeleland arts and crafts cluster in 2022 as part of its cluster development programme, which complements the Government’s devolution programme and seeks to increase the contribution of all districts to the national economy.

To increase the contribution of all districts to national exports, ZimTrade says there is a need to identify areas where they enjoy a competitive and comparative advantage, create as well as capacitate export-focused groups.

Mrs Mafukare said the arts and crafts sector represents an untapped opportunity with the potential to contribute to the growth of Zimbabwe’s exports.

The sector clocked US$10,1 million in 2023, up from US$5,4 million in 2020, as the sector continues to increase its contribution to the economy while empowering ordinary people.

According to ZimTrade, several surveys have indicated that different global markets have a huge appetite for arts and crafts products, and this could significantly boost Zimbabwe’s export earnings.

Mrs Mafukare said the cluster is working on an order of more than 600 baskets, which should be delivered to the client in April.

This has seen the cluster enlisting individuals to help them fast-track the process to meet the order deadlines.

According to Mrs Mafukare, the baskets range from US$10 each, depending on design and size.

“It’s difficult to export handmade products, so if you get a client who wants a thousand baskets and you work as an individual, you can’t meet the deadlines, but if we bring them together and start working in large groups, it’s easier for us to meet the targets,” she said.

“We can also determine how long it will take to make a thousand baskets and agree with the client.”

The cluster mobilises individual women, and their skills are polished in a bid to maintain the quality of the products.

Mrs Mafukare said women are now able to send their children to school, and she said she is looking forward to seeing developments in different households.

Before the establishment of the cluster, women struggled to get a market for their products, which saw them living in poverty, whilst their products were stocked. They used to do barter trade where those who wanted baskets would exchange them for goods like sugar, maize meal, or soap.

However, this meant they were unable to send their children to school.

Now the cluster boasts of its export market, and they supply clients from South Africa, the Netherlands, and the United States of America, among other countries.-herald