The objectives of this paper are to: (1) identify the pattern of private sector investment in the maize marketing system since the reforms were initiated and evaluate the extent of private sector response to the reforms; (2) assess how maize prices and marketing margins have changed in response to the market reforms; (3) identify market-oriented mechanisms that have evolved in the current environment to reduce vulnerability of farmers, traders and consumers to price and expenditure instability; and (4) identify strategies that the government and private sector could implement to effectively promote the development of the evolving market oriented food systems.