Wedza is a district in the province of Mashonaland East Zimbabwe, about 127km south of Harare, home to a population of 70,677. It is home to many small-scale farmers, who grow a range of crops from maize to sweet potatoes to tomatoes and beans. Yet, the majority, while productive farmers, face huge hurdles ferrying farm produce from their fields to the nearest markets. Often, they grow perishable crops that need reach a customer quickly.

Wedza is also the home of Mobility for Africa’s pilot site, where for the last 3 years we have been testing different ways an E tricycle, charged through a battery swapping model and driven by women, can serve the enormous last mile transport needs.

With petrol prices having risen dramatically, the existing shortage of buses and combis travelling to rural areas has become even more acute. Renting old secondhand cars is expensive in rural areas and doesn’t serve the door to field and field to market needs for many farmers, especially the women, who often spend hours of their day lugging heavy loads trying to find a market for their produce.

Over the past week the team from Mobility for Africa team conducted a transport survey across villages spanning the 30 km radius from the major transport locations and local markets. The objective of the survey was to assess and see how we can provide safe, reliable, and efficient transport solutions that change the way people move. Building on our existing transport and logistics service, Mobility for Africa will use the results of the survey to expand our fleet to even remoter communities to service the enormous demand.