In response to heightened food insecurity in Zimbabwe, Crown Agents and CARE, through the Grain Trade Market Facility, utilised existing market structures to avoid a potentially devastating food disaster. Using innovative solutions that brought together both the public and private sectors the programme ensured that people could meet their basic food needs through mobile money transfers. Utilising private sector systems increased access to funds and guaranteed market demand. This improved the availability of grain nationwide, maintained price stability and ensured vulnerable households were able to meet their basic food needs.