The Role of Market Middlemen in the Marketing of Smallholder Horticultural Products in Zimbabwe

The study seeks to assess the role played by market middlemen in smallholder horticultural products markets in Zimbabwe. There are contrasting views regarding the role of these middlemen among both farmers and farmers’ representative bodies. One view maintains that middlemen are unnecessary while the other view contends that they are needed. We carried out this study under a research project HIC 1 funded by BUSE 2 to provide market information to smallholder horticultural farmers. The study is based mainly on observations, discussions and interviews of various stakeholders in the horticultural markets. Results indicated that middlemen are largely beneficial to most market participants especially farmers. For instance, they carry out a daily assessment of markets which act as a cheap source of information to farmers.