Online Reporter
Fairness Moyana in Hwange
THE Matabeleland North Provincial Agricultural Show is fast emerging as a key platform for businesses, innovators and communities to showcase their products, forge partnerships and explore new opportunities for growth.
Held from August 5 to 8 at the Hwange Show Grounds, the exhibition attracted close to 60 exhibitors drawn from agriculture, mining, tourism, manufacturing, education, financial services and other sectors.
Organisers are now calling for greater private-sector participation to help expand the show and turn it into an even bigger platform for investment, innovation and economic development.
Officially opening the show on Saturday, Hwange Colliery Company Limited Holdings chief executive officer Mr William Gambiza, represented by the company’s ICT executive Mr Edrick Kudyahakudadirwe, said the growth in exhibitors demonstrated rising confidence in the provincial showcase.
“The increase in exhibitors to nearly sixty is a clear indication that confidence in this show continues to grow and that stakeholders increasingly recognise its value as a platform for business, innovation, investment and development,” Mr Gambiza said.
He said the show had evolved beyond its traditional agricultural focus to become a platform connecting different sectors of the provincial economy.
“The Matabeleland North Provincial Agricultural Show is far more than an annual exhibition. It is a strategic platform that brings together agriculture, mining, tourism, manufacturing, commerce, education, technology and innovation,” he said.
Mr Gambiza said the platform could help unlock investment, create jobs, promote knowledge sharing and showcase the economic potential of Matabeleland North.
He said the exhibition’s objectives were aligned with Zimbabwe’s National Development Strategy 2 and Vision 2030, particularly the Government’s focus on industrialisation, food security, value addition, infrastructure development, innovation and employment creation.
“Achieving these national goals requires every institution, business and citizen to contribute meaningfully towards sustainable development,” he said.
Agriculture, he added, remains central to the economy through its contribution to food security, employment and industrial raw materials, but its full potential could only be realised through linkages with other sectors.
“Mining generates the resources that finance development, manufacturing adds value to our natural endowments, tourism unlocks our rich heritage, while education and innovation equip our young people with the skills needed to compete in an increasingly modern economy,” Mr Gambiza said.
The call for broader participation was echoed by Matabeleland North Show Society chairperson Mr Misheck Marandu, who said the growth of the exhibition was evidence of increasing stakeholder confidence.
Mr Marandu said the Show Society was committed to gradually improving infrastructure at the showgrounds, where construction and rehabilitation works are underway.
“Though progress may be incremental, we are confident that, through sustained partnerships, we will achieve our long-term vision,” he said.
He called on businesses, Government agencies and other stakeholders to continue investing in the exhibition.
“Our vision is clear: to develop the Matabeleland North Provincial Agricultural Show into the premier exhibition in the province and, ultimately, one of the leading exhibitions in Zimbabwe and beyond,” said Mr Marandu.
The show has historically been anchored by farmers, but this year’s expanded participation reflected growing interest from the province’s broader economic sectors.
Mr Marandu paid tribute to farmers for sustaining the exhibition over the years despite changing economic and climatic conditions.
“Your continued participation, resilience and unwavering support have sustained this show through changing seasons and economic circumstances,” he said.
For Hwange Colliery Company, the event also carried historical significance, with Mr Gambiza noting that the coal mining giant was among the founding partners of the show and the showgrounds.
He said the company would continue supporting initiatives that contribute to stronger communities and vibrant local economies.
The HCCL chief executive also urged mining companies, financial institutions, development partners, Government agencies and businesses operating in Matabeleland North to partner with the Show Society.
“Your investment, expertise and participation will not only strengthen this exhibition but will also contribute to the economic transformation of our province and our country,” he said.
The speeches placed particular emphasis on partnerships, reflecting growing recognition that the province’s development cannot be driven by government alone.
Mr Marandu said the agricultural show provided an important space for stakeholders to forge partnerships, showcase innovations and strengthen collective efforts towards national development.
“Government alone cannot deliver this vision; it requires every citizen, organisation and institution to put its shoulder to the wheel,” he said.
