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Judith Phiri, Sunday News Reporter
THE Beef and Leather Value Chain (BLVC) Technical Assistance Project has trained 28 mentors who will roll out training to youths, women and Small to Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Bulawayo and Matabeleland North provinces, in a bid to eradicate poverty, achieve inclusive growth in beef and leather sub-sectors.
The BLVC Technical Assistance project formed in May 2017, is piloted in the seven districts of Matabeleland North and Bulawayo and is implemented by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce with funding from the African Development Bank to the tune of $2 million.
Speaking on the sidelines of a training workshop in Bulawayo last week, the project manager in the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) under the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Mr Mervyn Chiwayu, said trained mentors have been equipped with knowledge they will impact to stakeholders in the beef and leather sub-sectors.
“PIU in collaboration with Agriconsulting Europe S A held trainings aimed at minimising and or to completely eliminate all gaps that have been identified during the needs assessment. They were trained as trainers in preparation of training modules and the execution of trainings to be rolled out to youths, women and SMEs as we aim to eradicate unemployment and catalyse economic growth for the sector in the country,” said Mr Chiwayu.
He said they have engaged an institute to provide equipment and machinery to be used during trainings.
“We engaged the Leather Institute of Zimbabwe, one of the institutions that has the right equipment and machinery that can be used and they have confirmed their preparedness to host the foregoing trainings that should be done to the youths, women and SMEs in production of leather artefacts. Shoe Pack, a company which was operating at LIZ premises has already vacated creating space for the training thereby indicating the institute’s preparedness for the trainings,” he said.
Mr Chiwayu said abattoirs would also receive trainings to aid them in procuring better grade of leather.
derick.khumalo