adminRejoyce Sibanda, Chronicle Reporter
ZANU-PF Youth League Secretary for Lands and Agriculture, Cde Ushe Jena has implored youths in Bulawayo to take up opportunities availed by Government in livestock farming, horticulture, poultry and fish farming.
Agriculture is a vital cog of the Zimbabwean economy as evidenced by its export earnings and its contribution to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Government has come up with several agricultural projects targeting the youths.
This year President Mnangagwa launched the Provincial Integrated Development Centres meant to benefit youths from the country’s 10 provinces.
Under this initiative, more than 5 000 youths from each centre will be equipped with skills to enable them to engage in different agricultural projects meant to empower them.
Speaking at the launch of one of the incubation centres at DCK Farm in Kwekwe early this year, President Mnangagwa described agriculture as one of the major pillars of the country’s economy hence the Government’s thrust to empower youths who constitute 62 percent of the country’s population.
At the launch of the Kwekwe centre, President Mnangagwa distributed 710 heifers to youths across the country under the Presidential Heifer Pass-on Scheme.
Nearly 200 heifers were delivered to youths in Bulawayo and the two Matabeleland provinces under the scheme.
Bulawayo received 50 heifers while Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South got 70 heifers each.
Cde Jena said youths should take advantage of such schemes to empower themselves while at the same time contributing to the growth of the economy.
He said Government, by availing resources to youths across the country, wanted to ensure that no one and no place is left behind.
“As young people we must be ready to work hard in order to ensure the President’s vision in agriculture is realised,” said Cde Jena.
In his address at the 7th Zanu-PF National Youth League Conference in May, President Mnangagwa said throughout the days of the revolution to the present, his party had always valued, cared for and trusted young people and placed great expectations on them.
Cde Jena said by next week about 70 youths will be getting their offer letters for plots either at Esigodini or Lupane.
“I went to the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement and they have started initiating the process, which is now in the final stage,” he said. – @ReeSibanda
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