When fruit goes to waste due to inadequate storage and preservation facilities, farmers and traders lose potential income, and valuable produce is discarded. For two young entrepreneurs, however, this challenge became an opportunity to create value from surplus fruit while addressing a growing demand for healthy snack alternatives.
Founded in 2023 by Dalitso Mweemba and Steven Sichilima, Pambana Enterprise is a youth-led agro-processing business based in the 15 Miles area of Lusaka. The enterprise processes mangoes, apples, bananas, and pineapples into dried fruit snacks, offering a practical solution to fruit wastage while supplying consumers with nutritious, convenient products.
What began as a small initiative to address post-harvest losses has evolved into a growing business that now employs six young people, including the two founders and four additional staff members. Through its participation in the third cohort of youth enterprises supported by the Zambian Governance Foundation (ZGF), Pambana Enterprise is strengthening its production systems, expanding market access, and building the capacity needed to sustain future growth.
Turning Fruit into Value
At the heart of Pambana Enterprise's business model is fruit dehydration, a process that extends the shelf life of fresh produce by transforming it into dried snacks. This enables the enterprise to preserve the value of fruit that might otherwise spoil before reaching consumers, creating products that can be stored, transported, and sold over a longer period.
By sourcing and processing locally available fruit, the enterprise contributes to value addition within Zambia's agricultural sector while creating employment opportunities for young people. The business also responds to growing consumer interest in healthier snack options, offering products made from natural fruit rather than highly processed alternatives.
Although the enterprise has not yet quantified the extent of its contribution to reducing food waste or influencing consumer behaviour, its business model demonstrates how innovative agro-processing can unlock new market opportunities, create jobs, and generate greater value from agricultural produce that might otherwise be lost.
Dried fruits produced by Pambana Enterprise. Photo credit: Pambana Enterprise
For the founders, producing a quality product has also required finding more efficient ways to process fruit. Initially, Pambana Enterprise relied on solar dehydration, a process that took approximately three days to dry fruit. Through a grant from ZGF, the enterprise acquired an electric dehydrator, reducing processing time to approximately eight hours.
"Previously, using solar dehydration, it would take us about three days to dry the fruits. With electric dehydration, we can now do it in about eight hours. This has made a significant difference to our processing time,"Mweemba explained.
This investment has strengthened the enterprise's operational efficiency, enabling faster production cycles and improving its ability to meet customer demand. By reducing processing time, the business is better positioned to increase production volumes and respond more effectively to market opportunities.
From Market Exposure to Business Growth
Developing a quality product is only one part of building a successful enterprise; accessing customers and generating sales is equally important. For many emerging businesses, limited opportunities to showcase products and connect with buyers can constrain growth. Through its engagement with ZGF, Pambana Enterprise has participated in several exhibitions, including the 98th Agricultural and Commercial Show and an exhibition at Government Complex. These platforms have provided opportunities to market its products, engage potential customers, and generate sales.
"Through our engagement with ZGF, we have had opportunities to exhibit our products at platforms such as the Agricultural and Commercial Show and the Government Complex. These opportunities have helped us make sales and expose our products to more people," said Mweemba.
The experience highlights the importance of linking young entrepreneurs to market opportunities that increase product visibility and create pathways to revenue generation. Beyond immediate sales, such exposure helps emerging businesses build brand recognition and expand their customer base.
In addition to financing and market access, Pambana Enterprise has strengthened its capacity in marketing and financial management. These skills are helping the team promote its products more effectively, manage business finances, and make informed decisions to support growth.
Mweemba also noted that participation in the programme has broadened the founders' ambitions for the enterprise.
"Being part of ZGF's support programme has broadened our perspective. We are beginning to see the enterprise beyond the small organisation we started with and recognise the bigger opportunities we can work towards," he said.
This shift in mindset is an important aspect of enterprise development. Building a sustainable business requires entrepreneurs to look beyond day-to-day operations and plan strategically for future growth, market expansion, and long-term sustainability.
Creating Opportunities Beyond the Founders
Pambana Enterprise's growth is also reflected in the employment opportunities it has created. The business currently employs six young people, including the two founders and four additional staff members.
While still a relatively young enterprise, the jobs created represent a tangible contribution to youth economic participation. They provide practical work experience and income-generating opportunities for young people while supporting the growth of the business.
The enterprise also demonstrates the potential of youth-led entrepreneurship to create value within Zambia's agricultural sector. By transforming fresh fruit into dried snacks, Pambana Enterprise is addressing post-harvest losses while creating products with a longer shelf life and stronger market potential.
Although further evidence is needed to quantify the volume of fruit preserved, waste reduced, and long-term economic benefits generated, the enterprise's progress illustrates how value addition can create new opportunities from existing agricultural resources.
Through its support for youth enterprises, ZGF is helping young entrepreneurs strengthen their businesses through access to finance, market opportunities, and essential business skills.
Pambana Enterprise's experience demonstrates how targeted support can help young people overcome operational challenges, improve productivity, and build a foundation for sustainable growth.
Its journey also highlights the broader potential of youth entrepreneurship. When young people transform ideas into viable enterprises, they not only create livelihoods for themselves but also generate employment, add value to local resources, and contribute to economic development within their communities.
To find out more about how you can support, please feel free to reach out Pambana Enterprise to them via pambanaenterprise@gmail.com
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