Mat-North Agricultural Show preps on course

MATABELELAND North Show Society (MNSS), which hosts the annual Matabeleland North Agricultural Show, will this year have a one-stop exhibition information stand that will showcase all economic, cultural and social activities in the province.

The show has over the years evolved to broaden participation of all the seven districts and 11 local authorities in the province. Preparations for the show are already underway with the executive committee working with stakeholders to renovate infrastructure and clean the show grounds. The annual exhibition, which has become a permanent activity in the provincial calendar, takes place at the Show Grounds in Number 2 in Hwange Town.

The agricultural exhibition brings together diverse audiences and businesses, giving a ready potential market for any product and service in the country and beyond. It started in 1950, then known as Wankie Show Society before rebranding into a provincial show in 2019, renaming it Matabeleland North Agricultural Show. It is affiliated to the National Association of Agricultural Show Societies. MNSS chairperson, Mr Misheck Marandu, yesterday said preparations were going on well.

“We are going to have a provincial information centre, which is going to be more like a paper trail to exhibit what is happening in the province in each district,” he said.

“This will be an opportunity for the show society to help the province showcase investment opportunities, livelihoods and other related activities. We want all local authorities to exhibit what is happening in their area. We want a one-stop shop.”

Mr Marandu said local authorities will be asked to prepare presentations and exhibits that market them and the specialised areas unique to their areas and collectively show how rich the province is.

There will also be exhibitions from local cultures where groups will display attires, food and dances specific to their ethnic groups to showcase the rainbow nature of Matabeleland North province.

Despite the drought, Mr Marandu said the show is promising to be bigger than the previous editions.

“Together with the team we have managed to do some renovations on buildings that we feel are fit for services. So, we now have a boardroom, which we have renovated for the first time in the history of the society,” he said.

“We have asked stakeholders to spruce up their stands so that we meet standards of other show societies. Our desire is to renovate all the infrastructure. We encourage all stakeholders new and old to come on board and together we make this provincial show a place to be for all businesses.”

Matabeleland North is one of the richest provinces in the country with vast natural resources and business opportunities. The provincial economy hinges on agriculture, mining, wildlife, tourism and hospitality, making the show a melting pot for business opportunities and cross-pollination of ideas.

The expo complements the Government’s devolution and decentralisation agenda while promoting the Matabeleland North Provincial Development Policy Strategy, which feeds into the national agenda.

This year’s show will be held from 7 to 10 August under the theme: “Revolutionising the local resource capital through value addition and beneficiation”, which Mr Marandu said seeks to show the community how the province is endowed with natural resources and how these have helped grow the local GDP.

-@ncubeleon