Director of Crop Development, Dr. Godfrey Ching’oma, said this Tuesday at the start of a meeting on Knowledge Dissemination workshop on models that can enhance smallholder farmers’ access to profitable agriculture markets.

The ministry acknowledges that even though agriculture is considered the backbone of the country’s economy, smallholder farmers continue to face huddles in accessing profitable markets.

Dr. Ching’oma says the ministry is working on measures to implement strategies that will help organize markets for various crops.

“In the agriculture sector the market that is well structured is tobacco. As a ministry we are putting in place strategies to organize markets for the other crops,” he said.

Oxfam country director, Lingalireni Mihowa, says she is optimistic institutions will come up with recommendations that will see more structured markets especially for legumes.

“Our interests are to have agriculture markets that are profitable, viable, structured and predictable for smallholder farmers,” said Mihowa.

One example of a market that needs to be structured is said to be the maize market that is described as one of the most volatile in Southern Africa.

The workshop was organized by Oxfam.