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Senior Agric Reporter
The Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (Arda) has embarked on a transformative rebranding exercise to reposition itself on the market in line with the refocussed mandate.
The parastatal now has a new logo.
Arda chief executive, Mr Tino Mhiko said the organisation, was cognisant of the important role that agriculture and agro industry development plays not only for the sustenance of livelihoods at household level, but to the economic development of the country at large.
“In line with our new mandate, the current trajectory is to establish ARDA as a vehicle for national food, feed, fibre and biofuels security anchored two pillars; rural development and industrialisation and agriculture and agro industry development.
“While driving these pillars, our objective is to ensure self-sustenance across all our operations countrywide and to lead by farming at our own administered estates, rural irrigation schemes and other rural development projects.
“We have had to embrace and deploy robust strategies to achieve quick-win solutions through smart agricultural practices to boost productivity and production in an economically and environmentally sustainable manner,” he said.
He said the authority was setting up comprehensive rural irrigation schemes and community development projects and the main focus is to ensure scheme business viability and sustainability.
“The objective is to run the irrigation schemes and community development projects as businesses under the management of Arda resident scheme business managers,” he said.
Arda chairman, Mr Ivan Craig said the parastatal had completed restructuring exercise and was now undergoing transformation to establish itself as a vehicle for national food, feed, fibre and biofuels security.
“Arda is rebranding to re-position itself on the market. We are taking the opportunity to evolve our brand to better communicate the equity that Arda truly represents and re-align with our refined value proposition and vision.
“We have assembled a versatile and dedicated team to provide all our stakeholders with top notch services and solutions in the agriculture sector.
“It is envisaged that a strategically transformed Arda will efficiently play its role in the implementation of programmes that underpin the current agriculture recovery process as guided by the Agriculture and Food Systems Transformation Strategy (AFTSTS), the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) and the Accelerated Irrigation Rehabilitation and Development Plan (AIRDP), all dovetailing with Vision 2030,” he said.
Arda was established in terms of the Arda Act (Chapter 18:01) whose mandate is to spearhead agriculture, rural and agro-industry development through the deployment of technology and smart agricultural practices across Zimbabwe.
Currently, Arda is on a robust transformational trajectory that is set to establish its foothold as a major player in the agriculture industry value chain, besides being an employer of choice for talent attraction and retention in the agriculture space.
Online Reporter