ZIMBABWE’S economic recovery and long-term growth prospects are increasingly tied to the performance of its micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME’s).
MSMEs dominate employment, underpin household incomes and drive local commerce. Yet despite their importance, most remain trapped in survival mode, oriented toward domestic markets and informal trade.
It is a fact that Zimbabwe’s export revenues are driven by minerals such as gold, lithium, the platinum group metals among others, agriculture, mainly tobacco and manufacturing.
This is great and commendable. If Zimbabwe is to continues on a meaningful trajectory toward export-led growth, MSMEs must move from subsistence to scale.
This transition will not happen through finance alone. It requires a coordinated approach that aligns market access, branding, standards, logistics, finance and policy.
MSMEs not competitive enough
Zimbabwe has no shortage of entrepreneurs. Across agriculture, manufacturing, services and cross-border trade, small enterprises account for the bulk of economic activity.
However, very few participate sustainably in regional or global value chains. Most lack the consistency, quality assurance and market positioning required to compete beyond local markets.
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This gap is not primarily about effort or ambition. It reflects structural constraints. Informality limits access to finance and export markets. Limited branding and packaging restrict product acceptance.
Fragmented logistics and compliance costs erode margins. As a result, many MSMEs remain price takers in crowded domestic markets rather than value creators in export-oriented sectors.
Export-led growth
Policy discussions on exports often focus on production volumes, foreign currency generation and incentives. While these are important, they are insufficient.
Export competitiveness is built on trust, consistency and perception. Buyers care as much about reliability, standards and brand reputation as they do about price. For MSMEs, this is where the challenge becomes acute. A horticulture producer may have good yields but lack cold chain access. A manufacturer may produce quality goods but struggle with packaging, certification or predictable delivery. A services exporter may have skills but lack visibility and credibility in target markets.
An export strategy that does not address these critical, elements will continue to exclude small firms.
The role of branding
Branding is often misunderstood as a cosmetic exercise. In reality, it is a strategic tool that signals quality, reliability and intent. For MSMEs, branding extends beyond logos and colours to include packaging, storytelling, compliance with standards and consistency of experience. It is only a strong, recognisable brand that gives assurance of performance to the buyers.
Regional peers offer instructive lessons. In countries such as Rwanda, coordinated efforts have helped small producers present themselves as part of a national quality narrative, supported by standards agencies and export promotion bodies.
This collective branding approach lowers entry barriers for individual firms.
Zimbabwe’s MSMEs would benefit from similar aggregation models, where cooperatives, clusters or export platforms help standardise quality, pool logistics and present a unified market proposition.
Export markets reward reliability. Buyers care as much about standards, traceability and certification as they do about price. For MSMEs, this is often the most significant barrier.
Agricultural and food exports into the European Union, for example, typically require phytosanitary certification, sanitary or veterinary clearance, and compliance with recognised food safety systems such as hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP) or ISO 22000. Fresh produce exporters are often expected to meet Global good agricultural practuces (GAP) standards. Organic products require certification and electronic verification through the European Union (EU) TRACES system.
Carrying the stamp of certification from the Standard Association of Zimbabwe demonstrates that certain standards would have been followed. All these are tools that can help position MSMEs in the export markets.
It is true there are costs to doing this but for starters building the knowledge among the MSMEs is the first crucial step.
Finance must follow markets
Access to finance remains a major constraint, but finance on its own does not create competitiveness. Lending to MSMEs without addressing market access risks increasing debt without improving viability.
Banks and development finance institutions should increasingly align funding to confirmed demand. This includes purchase order financing, receivables-backed lending and value chain finance linked to anchor buyers.
Such models reduce risk for lenders while giving MSMEs the working capital needed to fulfil export contracts.
Digital transaction data and alternative credit assessment tools can support this shift, particularly for enterprises operating without traditional collateral. However, finance must be sequenced behind market readiness, not used as a substitute for it.
Policy coherence essential
Zimbabwe’s policy framework contains many of the right elements. Industrialisation strategies, export incentives and MSME support programmes exist.
The challenge lies in coordination and execution. Export promotion, standards enforcement, logistics infrastructure and finance often operate in silos.
MSMEs must navigate multiple institutions, each with its own requirements and timelines. This fragmentation raises costs and discourages participation. A more integrated approach would align export promotion bodies, financial institutions, standards agencies and training providers around specific value chains.
Success should be measured not by programme uptake, but by sustained export participation and firm growth. It is should however be noted that a lot of effort is being put by the government to improve the ease of doing business in the economy.
Notable and commendable efforts include the retail and wholesale licensing reforms, which culminated in reduction of some fees, the livestock, dairy and stockfeed sector reforms as well as the tourism sector licensing overhaul.
Human capability gap
Beyond systems and finance lies a capability gap. Many MSME owners are technically skilled but lack exposure to export market requirements, pricing strategies, contract management and currency risk.
Targeted training linked directly to market opportunities can close this gap. Regional examples show that combining finance with coaching and mentorship improves survival and growth outcomes. Knowledge transfer is most effective when tied to real transactions, not classroom theory.
Technology as an enabler
Digital platforms can reduce information asymmetry, connect buyers and sellers and streamline compliance. Artificial intelligence can support market intelligence, demand forecasting and risk assessment.
However, technology is not a shortcut to competitiveness. Without reliable infrastructure, data governance and human capability, digital tools can exacerbate inequality between firms that are ready and those that are not. Technology must, therefore, be deployed as an enabler within a broader ecosystem strategy.
From policy intent to execution
Zimbabwe’s ambition to grow exports and industrial capacity is well placed. The missing link is execution that centres MSMEs as participants in value chains, not peripheral beneficiaries of support schemes.
This requires shifting from fragmented interventions to ecosystem thinking. Finance must be linked to markets.
Branding must be treated as strategy. Informality must be acknowledged and managed, not ignored. Capability building must be practical and demand led.
Zimbabwe’s MSMEs will not scale into export markets by accident. Survival entrepreneurship must give way to competitive enterprise. This transition demands coordinated action across policy, finance, branding and market access.
If MSMEs are to play a meaningful role in export-led growth, they must be equipped to produce as well as to compete. The measure of success will not be the number of registered firms or loans disbursed, but the number of Zimbabwean enterprises that consistently sell, deliver and grow beyond our borders.
Mambure is a chartered marketer and fellow of the CIM (UK) and holds an MBA, a Master in Public Policy and Governance and an MSc in Marketing. — [email protected].
