EU in debut appearance at Agric Show

Edgar Vhera-Agriculture Specialist Writer

IN a move that validates the positive impact the country’s re-engagement efforts are making on both the political and socio-economic fronts, the European Union (EU) will be participating at this year’s Zimbabwe Agriculture Show (ZAS) running from August 28 to September 2.

This comes hot on the heels of the bloc’s participation at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) in Bulawayo early this year.

Announcing the development on its official website in a message titled “EU at Zimbabwe Agricultural Show 2023”, the union said: “European Union (EU) is proud to announce its inaugural participation at the 113th edition of the Zimbabwe Agricultural Show (ZAS), marking a historic moment of collaboration and knowledge-sharing. Under the theme ‘Sustained Growth, Adaptation, Productivity, Linkages,’ the EU will join forces with Ireland and Team Europe to highlight the agricultural, technological and industrial advancements that contribute to Zimbabwe’s development.”

Speaking to members of the media recently, ZAS chief executive Dr Andrew Matibiri lauded the bloc’s move adding that there was encouraging participation by foreign exhibitors at this year’s show.

“To date exhibitors from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), EU, China, South Africa (SA), Zambia and Malawi have confirmed their participation against last year’s five. Exhibitors from China, Malawi, Botswana, South Africa and Belarus participated in 2022. The EU is coming this year for the first time and will exhibit up to the end of the show,” Dr Matibiri said.

Sixty-nine percent of the exhibition space has so far been taken up by 410 exhibitors.   

Dr Matibiri said an array of business interfaces were lined up for the first four days to provide stakeholders with important national value chain issues from seed to food.

This year’s event is running under the theme: “Sustained Growth, Adaptation, Productivity and Linkages” and is divided into five sections – agricultural produce, livestock, tobacco, cotton and home industries. 

The livestock section is back in full swing after disappearing during the Covid-19 pandemic and challenges related to foot and mouth disease (FMD) plus January diseases (JD).