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Business Reporter
THE Government will soon avail a $2,3 million facility sourced from the African Development Bank to support the beef and leather value chain in Matabeleland.
Industry and Commerce Minister Mike Bimha revealed this last week while officially opening the just ended Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries annual congress in Bulawayo.
“We’ll shortly be implementing the African private sector-assisted fund sourced from the African Development Bank to the tune of $2,3 million as support to the beef and leather value chain targeting Matabeleland,” he said.
Towards the end of last year, AfDB promised to avail funding for the support of Zimbabwe’s beef and leather value chain technical assistance project.
The overall objective of the technical assistance project is meant to catalyse the country’s economic growth and address Zimbabwe’s fragility through reviving the beef and leather industry.
The project includes providing a platform for stakeholders to dialogue at national level to enhance coordinated action.
Another component of the project is the business environment streamlining and reform.
Procurement under the project will include services of a consulting firm to support project implementation, audit services to be provided by an audit firm, monitoring and evaluation services to be provided by an individual consultant. The project will also offer technical support for the design of a livestock information and traceability system as well as preparation of a proposal for dip tanks construction and rehabilitation, among others.
At present, Zimbabwe’s leather industry is operating at a subdued capacity despite market opportunities in markets such as Sadc and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa as well as overseas.
Online Reporter