Chronicle Editor
LEADING chicken and eggs producer, Irvine’s Zimbabwe has joined hands with the Government to capacitate smallholder farmers to boost poultry production under the Command Livestock Programme. The strategic partnership will see Irvine’s supplying materials for the construction of foul runs as well as provide the first batch of 2 500 chicks, feed and drugs for each demonstration site in all the 10 provinces.
The giant poultry producer will also provide training and monitoring of the first cycle of broiler production. The army will, under this programme meant to boost household food and nutrition security, construct the demonstration foul runs.
Harare province was the first to benefit from the programme and this week the programme was launched in Bulawayo at Ntabeni Primary School in Entumbane suburb.
Speaking at the launch in Bulawayo, Deputy Chief Secretary to the President and Cabinet responsible for Administration and Finance, Mr Martin Rushwaya commended Irvine’s Zimbabwe for partnering Government to empower communities.
Mr Rushwaya challenged other companies to emulate Irvine’s which is giving back to communities.
Government’s vision of an upper middle- income economy by 2030 can only be realised if the private sector comes to the party like what Irvine’s is doing.
The communities need to be empowered to enable them to actively participate in growing the economy hence the call for the private sector to assist Government in this regard.
We, however, are cognisant of the fact that it is not only Irvine’s that is empowering communities. What quickly comes to mind are companies like Mimosa Mining Company in Zvishavane that has for years been assisting small-scale miners with equipment and training. This is as it should be if we are to grow our economy together as a nation.
Bata Shoe Company in Gweru has been sub-contracting Small to Medium enterprises to do some of its work thereby assisting these enterprises to grow.
The private sector’s response to fighting Covid-19 has been overwhelming hence Government was able in a short period of time to establish Covid-19 isolation centres in each province to admit critically ill patients.
What is fortunate and we hope the situation remains the same, is that Zimbabwe has since the outbreak of the pandemic had very few critically ill patients requiring ventilators at any given time.
It is a fact that with a shared vision and unity of purpose our great nation can achieve a lot in its endeavour to uplift the people’s lives. It is this oneness that must push us to implement the modernisation and industrialisation of our economy and no one should be left behind hence the emphasis on empowering communities to fully participate in growing the economy.
We want to once again commend all the companies already giving back to communities and urge those not yet doing so to come on board.
Online Reporter
Londile Moyo