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Oliver Kazunga Business Reporter
THE Government has made significant progress in installing equipment at different technology centres under the $5 million Indo-Zim Project, an official has said. In 2009, Zimbabwe and India launched a project for the development of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the country when state-of-the-art manufacturing technology centres were launched at the Harare Institute of Technology (HIT) and Bulawayo Polytechnic.
Fourteen other centres have been established countrywide including the Small Enterprises Development Corporation Centre in Chitungwiza.
Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises and Co-operative Development Ms Evelyn Ndlovu told Business Chronicle on Friday that only three centres were yet to benefit from the programme.
“We are left with only three centres where we are yet to install the machinery because of financial challenges we are facing as a country.
“The three centres are Esigodini in Matabeleland South, Magunje in Mashonaland West and Murewa in Mashonaland East,” she said.
She could not ascertain the budget required to install the equipment at the remaining technology centres.
Some of the 12 centres where the state of the art machinery has been installed are Harare Institute of Technology, Bulawayo Polytechnic, Lupane, Plumtree, and Nkayi.
Mrs Ndlovu said entrepreneurs and students at tertiary institutions were already benefiting from the project.
“We are looking forward to more entrepreneurs and students at tertiary institutions benefiting.
“SMEs benefit through accessing state of the art technology to use to manufacture different products.
“For example, the technology centres at Harare Institute of Technology (HIT) and Bulawayo Polytechnic have computer-aided equipment that entrepreneurs can use to manufacture different products including spare parts for motor vehicles.
“Because the machinery at the centres is state of the art, goods produced are of high quality and this also reduces the country’s import bill,” said Ms Ndlovu.
She said students get exposure and hands-on practical experience at the technology centres.
The technology centres in rural areas also allow SMEs to produce quality engineering goods such as grinding mills and window frames, wheel barrows and scotch carts, among others.
In the past, lack of access to technology was one of the major challenges that saw SMEs producing low quality products.
The SME sector continues to play a significant role in economic development through job creation.
A recent report by the World Bank states that 5.7 million people in Zimbabwe are employed in the SME sector.
It also states that SMEs in Zimbabwe have a potential to contribute $7 billion annually to the Gross Domestic Product.
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