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Agriculture Reporter
GOVERNMENT recently launched the ‘Agriculture My Future Our Future’ recently at Sipambi business centre in Masvingo, as efforts to promote agricultural production, productivity and profitability through full utilisation of the youth dividend and skills base the nation has invested in gather momentum.
Agriculture youth desk programmes coordinator Mr Nickros Kajengo revealed that the initiative was aimed at encouraging more youths to embrace agriculture as a noble profession.
“The initiative is aimed at encouraging more youths to embrace agriculture as a business and as a noble profession as enshrined in the Malabo declaration of 2014,” he said.
Eight hundred and thirteen (813) youths were trained on theories and practices of agriculture aligning with the Zimbabwe’s policy strategic direction, as the nation is heading towards attaining Vision 2030.
“The youths were trained on theories and practices of agriculture, innovation and entrepreneurship, the agrarian history of Zimbabwe, how to register and start a company or business, farming as business, markets and marketing, value addition, agricultural policies formulated by Government, the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), Africa Union (AU) Agenda 2063 and our own V30 Accelerator model and aligning these to the Zimbabwe’s policy strategic direction as the nation moves towards Vision 2030,” said Mr Kajengo.
The youth desk programmes coordinator hinted that initiatives for the conference of the parties to the United Nations Framework Convention of Climate Change (COP28) were adopted in preparation for the COP28 to be held in Dubai this year.
“The COP 28 journey was initiated with the coordination of Zimbabwe Youth Council (ZYC) an affiliate organisation coordinating with sister organisations within Zimbabwe with some from beyond our borders. They are collaborating in coming up with researches, innovations and collating evidence of home grown solutions to climate change. Successful plots from climate-proofed agriculture models such as Pfumvudza were filmed and still being filmed for the world to get an appreciation of the practice. All these initiatives are in preparation for the Cop28 to be held in Dubai,” he said.
Furthermore, Mr Kajengo highlighted that the Minister of State for Masvingo Provincial Affairs and Devolution Ezra Chadzamira had indicated that Government would avail farming inputs to those who attended the launch.
“Minister Chadzamira said the Government was going to avail farming inputs to all those who attended this launch,” said Mr Kajengo
He added that a young farmers’ magazine – EmpowerED Farmer that features youths in agriculture was also launched by Minister Chadzamira.
The launch also witnessed the handover of A2 permits to some youths in Masvingo as the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development moves to grow the number of news farmers.
“A2 permits were handed over to 2023 beneficiaries from Masvingo and more are expected to benefit. Beneficiaries under the Kilimanjaro sugar cane project in Chiredzi will also be among those to be selected after the training,” said Mr Kajengo.
Mr Kanjengo hinted that Matabeleland North and Manicaland provinces were their next target areas, as the agriculture youth desk moves to equip young people with practical skills in the sector.
“Our proposed next targets are Matabeleland North and Manicaland provinces,” he said.
Online Reporter