Chronicle Editor
THE Visiting Belarus Deputy Prime Minister Honourable Leonid Zayats has pledged to pursue new avenues of cooperation with Zimbabwe in the agriculture sector, in addition to the ongoing mechanisation programme.
The visiting delegation from Belarus this Thursday went on a tour of some farms including the ARDA-run Doreen Pride Farm and took the occasion to salute President Emmerson Mnangagwa for ensuring Zimbabweans are empowered through the land, pledging to help address the mechanisation gaps.
Head of delegation and Belarus Deputy Prime Minister, Honourable Leonid Zayats said nothing will stop his country from assisting Zimbabwe.
“I want to congratulate your President for ensuring that Zimbabwe is food self-sufficient, you are a blessed country with vast land and the people have an interest in farming. I am impressed although I noticed that some of your equipment is still below demand. In terms of partnering with you in the dairy business, nothing will stop us,” he said.
The Deputy Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Honourable Vangelis Haritatos weighed in saying Zimbabwe is willing to collaborate with Belarus in further expanding the country’s dairy sector.
“Belarus has over the years been supporting us, especially with the mechanisation of the agriculture sector. We have now proposed to them to come on board and partner with us on a win-win situation in the dairy industry through genetic and technology transfer. We know they have a vibrant dairy sector. The cost of dairy farming in our country is a bit high so we want Belarus’s support so that dairy operations locally become highly profitable. From the discussion we had with visiting deputy Prime Minister, signs are there that Belarus is interested in the proposed partnership,” he said.
The delegation later proceeded to Kwekwe for a tour of dairy products manufacturer, Dendairy.
- ZBCtv
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