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Fungi Kwaramba in St Petersburg Russia
AFRICAN countries must think outside the box, embrace technology, science and innovation to achieve food security and sovereignty and grow their respective economies, President Mnangagwa has said.
This is because most African countries have agro-based economies, but because of climate change, and land degradation many of the continent citizens have often fallen through the cracks and face hunger and deprivation.
However, in the case of Zimbabwe, since the inception of the Second Republic, the country has swiftly moved from being a net importer of food and is now in a position to export surplus grains.
This is all a result of meticulous planning and resource mobilisation towards the agriculture sector, which is now a US$8,2 billion economy and still booming.
The President told a panel discussion that was hosted by fertiliser manufacturing giant Uralchem, on the topic “Stability of the fertiliser market as guarantee for elimination of hunger”, that in an increasingly globalised world Africa must take requisite measures to leapfrog its development and have a competitive edge.
The President said while Africa can grow traditional grains that are resistant to acute weather vagaries – it cannot afford to go crops like wheat because they have become almost a staple in African homes.
“The world is becoming one, there is no more Africa, Europe and other continents because we are now integrated. Yes, we have our own traditional crops but we also have wheat, as we develop and modernise, the tastes of younger generations is influenced by their experiences,” said the President.
Last year Zimbabwe recorded a surplus of wheat production saving US$300 million in wheat imports, which became part of the country GDP instead of disappearing to foreign nations.
The country, this year, expects yet another bumper harvest, in not only wheat production, but also other grains and for the first time in more than two decades the country could be exporting cereals in a testimony of the success of the Second Republic’s thrust of increased production and productivity on the land.
Zimbabwe is modernising and mechanising its agriculture with policies tailored to respond to the requirements of both communal and commercial farmers.
“In agriculture, there are many things that are necessary to interrogate, there is the question of weather, there is a question of soils, there is a question of management of the soils, there is a question of when do you plant and the type of ecological regions that are found in each country, all those factors will be taken into consideration for us to grow the correct crop at the correct time, in the correct region,” said the President.
The President, whose revolutionary approach to the agriculture sector has won plaudits even from the Land Reform’s most stringent critics, said the illegal economic sanctions that were imposed by Western nations as punishment for the agrarian reform programme have been a boon for Zimbabwe.
“If we are able to be grow that which we didn’t grow before, then good. Africa is doing everything necessary to be independent and food sufficient. We are thinking outside the box to make sure Africa feeds itself. I believe the current crop of leaders share the same vision. All that we need is mechanisation, and the technology,” the President, who has engaged investors from across the world, said.
The discussion was attended by investors from Russia, Morocco and Egypt with other African countries also participating.
Yesterday, the President also toured stands of Russian companies that are exhibiting their products on the sidelines of the ongoing Forum and commended Russia for being all weather friend.
“This is demonstrative of the comprehensive relations that I have with my dear brother President Putin, he has made facilitation for this helicopter,” said the President.
The helicopter that the President received is one of two, with the other being used by his Russian counterpart.
Online Reporter