Buy Zimbabwe: The time is now

THERE surely is nothing like an idea whose time has come. The time is now to tell the world to “Buy Zimbabwe”.
Yet for many, the Buy Zimbabwe idea is an empty, catchy slogan, which has been tried before and failed to reach fruition, and therefore is unsustainable.
For this group, we must move beyond words to practice, we must demonstrate value to Zimbabwean companies that are either closing or are taking a severe battering from cheap imports. Critically, consumers must not be taken for a ride by being denied their right of choice. There is, of course, some others who believe that the forces of liberalisation and globalisation must be allowed to take their course until the real survivors on the Zimbabwean market remain standing.
For these the Buy Zimbabwe campaign underlines some protectionist attitude by industry and commerce who have failed to adopt innovative production strategies and respond to consumer needs in a competitive environment. The truth, of course, is that Adam Smith’s free market ideas are yet to work on their own without some nudging.
Further, truth is that countries we import from are very active in supporting their local industries. We could make reference to another dimension as was highlighted by Mr Tawanda Nyambirai during the entrepreneurship TV competition: My Own Boss.
He asked the two young lady finalists why local consumers were rushing for imports. Considering the multi-dimensional nature of the concept, it was not surprising that answers given were vague if not confusing.
On the one hand, the ladies seemed to suggest that local products and services must be promoted and bought irrespective of their quality while, on the other hand, they seemed to allude to the general perception that imports are of superior quality. In the end, the conclusion was that local goods and services must be preferred simply because they are local. They can be more expensive, poorly packaged, of lower quality and not even known but must remain the number one choice.
In this context, Buying Zimbabwe was a forced choice and one, inevitably, unlikely to succeed since it does not accommodate consumer needs.
We believe for success and sustainability the Buy Zimbabwe campaign must be a broad-based, multi-sectoral and multi-dimensional initiative that seeks to grow the local goods and service industry without negating elements that promote innovation, entrepreneurship, access to markets, affordability and quality. It certainly must not be a campaign that seeks to promote “mediocrity” simply because it’s local.
Rather it must promote exellence in the production sector while equally challenging consumers from the rush to imports.
It seeks to broaden information on goods and services made in Zimbabwe, advocate for change in perception and promote a sense of pride in the consumption of quality local goods and services. Further, the campaign should also enhance the image of the local goods and services and promote consumption the world over and make every Zimbabwean out there proud to be associated with local products and services.
The win-win campaign also seeks to bring various stakeholders that include media, marketers, industry and commerce and consumers into designing practical solutions that add value to each sector. It seeks to go beyond sloganeering into working with actionable programmes that have clear benefits and outputs to each participant.
The initiative also recognises that by enhancing the consumption of local quality goods and services Zimbabwe enables its empowerment agenda as well as carving out greater space for local players in an increasingly complex globalised environment.
It speaks to factors of employment, enhancing tight liquidity, etc. There are indications that we import up to 65 percent of locally consumed goods, implying that a significant proportion of money that could be used for local lending is going elsewhere. It further means the banking sector remains depressed and the insurance sector equally in doldrums because savings are limited. One can go on and on the ripple effects of the current scenario.
Clearly, the motivation for consumers to rush for such sub-standard products at the expense of their own is obvious: price disparities. Yet again one would say what is pricier: a low-cost chicken that robs you of your health or a high-quality local chicken that keeps you going and healthier?
Importers have been quick to realise that in a market where buying behaviour is motivated by short-term needs low cost is the principal driver. Unfortunately, this has been done at the expense of the local person and industry.
Lack of information has only compounded this situation and created a vicious cycle in which “irrationality” has reigned supreme in the choice of which products to take home.
The Buy Zimbabwe campaign seeks to remind local consumers that buying local goods and services goes beyond simply nationalistic sentiment that aligns one with their own but rather has more long-term benefits.
However, to achieve this, the local producers also need to play their part and ensure the quality that we so preach is delivered by the local product.
l For more info contact Buy Zimbabwe at: 22 Broadlands Road, Mount Pleasant, Harare. Cell: 0772 869 195 / 0772 714 233