-ambitious leaders like mutota
-succession disputes and civil wars at the great zimbabwe
-shortage land for crop growing and animal grazing due to the increase in both human and animal population
-gold mines at the great zimbabwe became exhausted
-shortage of salt at the great zimbabwe
-large salt reserves in the Dande area
-Decline in elephant population at the great zimbabwe leading to shortage of ivory
-plenty of land in the Dande area
-accessibility of the Dande area to the Zambezi valley

Trade seems to have played a key role in the rise of the State though there were also other factors which contributed. These other factors included;availability of resources like firewood, minerals and even wild animals,great leadership skills of Nyatsimbe Motota and also collapse of Great zimbabwe. So it should clearly asserted that the rise of Mutapa State was aided by a variety of factors which were of key role in the social sector by then