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Agriculture Reporter
The Government has described engagements between the private sector and young farmers as a strategic move endowed with lots of potential to propel the agriculture sector to high levels of growth, as the country moves to reclaim its “bread basket of Africa” status.
In a speech during the 10th Federation of Young Farmers Club of Zimbabwe (FYFCZ) awards ceremony held in Harare recently, Lands Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Minister Dr Anxious Masuka said he was reliably informed of corporates and FYFCZ partnerships in different parts of the agricultural value chain.
“I commend the foresight of private players such as EcoCash Holdings, Mangwana Capital, Agricultural Financial Corporation (AFC) Holdings for engaging the FYFCZ,” said Dr Masuka.
As the Government addresses the need to transform the agriculture sector to be more business driven, the involvement of young farmers with private sector creates partnerships that accelerate the rate of adoption of business practices in farming.
The Minister highlighted that it was important to acknowledge the significance of youths in promoting the concept of agri-business.
Running under the theme “Young farmers celebrating agro-economic milestones of the 2nd Republic, embracing climate change and technology towards vision 2030” the awards ceremony embodied the Government’s efforts in creating a conducive environment for young farmers in the agriculture sector.
“Since 2011 the Government through my Ministry has collaborated with the FYFCZ, which is clear testimony of the importance of youths in agriculture for accelerated agriculture development,” said Dr Masuka.
More so, the FYFCZ created agricultural district nodes to improve cooperation and the centrality of young farmers.
“The Government applauds the move by the FYFCZ to establish district nodes as part of the agriculture transformation agenda,” said Dr Masuka. The Minister further highlighted that the district should assist the Government to transform 61 percent of the 9, 2 million people of the rural population from subsistence to surplus oriented farmers, to transform 360 000 A1 farmers from surplus oriented to commercial farmers and the 23 000 A2 farmers from commercial farmers to perennially successful businessmen and women.
In addition, the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development is establishing 2 400 youth for business (Y4B) centres with each rural ward getting two, in a move meant to enhance youth agri-business partnerships.
The Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development established the youth desk to coordinate activities of youths to create a focal point through which youths can enter the agriculture industry. The Government’s intentions to grow the numbers of young people in the agriculture sector is further demonstrated in the hosting of the awards ceremony that was dedicated to young farmers.
“About 62 percent of the Zimbabwean population is below 35 years of age and we all know that Zimbabwe’s economy is agro-based, which makes it imperative to mainstream youths into the country’s agro-based economy to achieve Vision 2030,” said Dr Masuka.
Online Reporter