Online Reporter
The youth policy stands on two foundations, as President Mnangagwa stressed on National Youth Day over the weekend: hardworking and disciplined youths, and the Government continually opening more doors so this hard work can take youths far beyond subsistence farming or being day labourers.
Both are needed. Success and the rewards are not going to be handed to youths on a platter. There is no entitlement, but rather a direct relationship between effort and a reasonable decent life.
In addition to the two foundations there is the economic environment that can make the policy possible in practical terms, and that involves a growing economy.
The high rates of economic growth now seen as the economic policies of the Second Republic bear fruit mean that opportunities are automatically created, rather than trying to divide a small static pie.
The President did again stress that this economic growth did not just happen and would not continue, unless the youths played their part in adding value and building up their skills and endeavours, just as everyone else was expected to do.
An economy grows, and does so fast when opportunities exist and when a lot of people are working really hard and importantly, very productively. Youths have to be part of that process.
Governments can create a pro-business environment with farming, mining and industrial policies that make the most of our natural resources, including the people.
Governments can and should, have policies in place that allow all to participate and not create systems, as was done in the colonial era, that concentrated opportunity and wealth in the hands of a tiny minority, condemning everyone else to poverty. But Governments do not dig planting holes or plough fields; farmers must do that. The Government cannot climb down a mine shaft or use an open-cast mine; miners must do that.
Governments cannot make things in a factory and sell them; skilled workers and smart business people have to do that.
In other words, Governments can create the best economic environment for a growing economy; they can help people acquire skills and work out ways they can operate within the economy and banking systems to fund their businesses. But the work is done by people.
Since taking office, President Mnangagwa has shown a very strong practical bent in building up Zimbabwe and moving the whole country forward towards the upper middle income status, that happens to be just a first target rather than a final destination.
Land reform was necessary for fairness, equity and opportunity. A farm, whether a few hectares or something larger, is just a piece of land until someone is able to farm that land and make things grow and livestock flourish.
So the agriculture policy was to empower farmers, the small-scale farmers through a range of initiatives, correctly labelled Presidential programmes considering their scope that has brought millions into productive farming.
Rules and regulations were set up to allow contract farming, so the private sector was able to participate, with tobacco being the obvious first major victory.
Converting subsistence farmers into productive business people required a huge effort, with more to come.
Youths are not excluded, although it is likely that family farms, now being secured with title deeds, may be their major arena.
Already there are elderly farmers who have transferred a lot of business decisions and work to adult children, who thanks to practical education and skills training are able to do even more.
Small businesses are encouraged, on the basis that many will grow into larger businesses, and again practical skills, including both the practical stress of more university education and the new vocational training colleges, are helping ensure that those who move into the real world can cope and grow something worthwhile.
The latest scientific advice and proper and practical research is made available across a wide range of our youths, so they can move forward knowing what can work best and thus apply that hard work productively.
As a sign of the practical nature of his policies, President Mnangagwa commissioned the Vocational Training Centre business unit at Igava Training Centre, where the main national celebration was held, and presided over the ground-breaking ceremony for the next stages.
There used to be a slogan that youths were the leaders of tomorrow; Well yes. But perhaps most critically they are the farmers, miners, industrialists and value creators of tomorrow, building the nation while they build their own lives and those of their families.
