daniel chigunwe
Farirai Machivenyika Senior Reporter
Zimbabwe has adopted the use of information communication technologies in the agriculture sector and is on course to achieving food self-sufficiency, President Mnangagwa said yesterday while launching the AgriTech Blueprint for Africa at the virtual 10th Smart Africa board meeting.
The President was represented by Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Dr Frederick Shava at the meeting hosted by Rwandan President Paul Kagame as chairman of Smart Africa.
The meeting reviewed progress made since the last board meeting in December last year and shared some key strategic objectives under the organisation’s triennial strategy, which will enable it to achieve the vision of a single digital market for Africa.
In his remarks, the President said agriculture played a pivotal role in the socio-economic development of the continent, since in Sub-Saharan Africa, at least 60 percent of the population is comprised of small holder farmers.
“The application of ICT innovations and interventions is the game-changer required in the agricultural industry and associated sectors,” he said.
“This will enable member states to leapfrog and accelerate the pace of achieving the set goals and more importantly, ensure food self-sufficiency. As a country, Zimbabwe has fully embraced ICT innovations and interventions in the agricultural and related sectors and the country is well on course to becoming food self-sufficient.”
President Mnangagwa said AgriTech in Africa holds the promise of a better future to improve food security.
In a bid to accelerate the use of ICTs on the African continent, the Smart Africa AgriTech working group led by Zimbabwe developed the AgriTech Blueprint for Africa.
“The blueprint will assist African countries accelerate agricultural productivity using ICTs,” said President Mnangagwa.
“The AgriTech Blueprint we are launching today (yesterday) harmonises AgriTech policies on the continent and helps countries to develop their national AgriTech strategies and transnational pilots.”
Zimbabwe has taken ownership of this continental flagship and further developed the Zimbabwe AgriTech strategy that will operationalise the blueprint through pilot projects, which are in support of the Smart Zimbabwe 2030 Strategy.
This enabling environment, the President said, was created to transform the agriculture sector through ICTs and any other innovations provide a perfect condition to transform the rest of economies on the continent.
“Governments should leverage the recommendations from this blueprint to streamline application of ICTs in agriculture in order to accelerate agriculture productivity and efficiency,” he said.
Online Reporter