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Bulawayo Bureau
Matabeleland South is targeting to grow its cattle herd to 1,2 million from 624 970 in 2018 under its provincial economic plan 2021-2025 which seeks to achieve key target areas of the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), that is almost doubling the provincial herd in seven years.
Provinces have come up with provincial economic plans to achieve the NDS1.
The Matabeleland South provincial economic plan for the year 2021-2025 is anchored on the theme: “Towards sustainable economic growth for a devolving rainbow province”.
Key pillars of the provincial economic plan are sustainable inclusive economic growth, food and nutrition security, infrastructure, utilities, housing delivery and digital economy, health and social protection, human capital development, devolution and governance.
Matabeleland South provincial director for economic affairs in the office of the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Mr Richmond Ncube, said the provincial economic plan seeks to ensure sustainable inclusive economic growth through development of agriculture, mining and tourism which are key sectors.
Under agriculture, the target is to improve meat processing through establishment of more abattoirs, increase beef production through upscaling pen fattening and improve mopane worm value chain through establishment of more processing plants.
The province is also targeting to increase orange juice production, milk production as well as the production of leather and leather products. In mining, the province is targeting to increase gold production, upscale limestone mining through capacitating small scale miners.
“The province seeks to achieve improved food security during the planned period. The province will target the following: increase livestock herd from 624 970 in 2018 to 1 249 940 by 2025, increase citrus production which comprises of oranges, lemon, grape fruit, mango and olive from 2 671ha to 4 000ha,” he said.
“We also plan to increase area under maize from 80 000 ha to 115 000 ha and yield from 2 tonnes per ha to at least 5 tonnes per ha by 2025 under the (Pfumvudza) Intwasa programme.”
“The province is also working on increasing land under traditional grains from 37 000 ha up to above 70 000 ha with yields increased from 0,7 tonnes a hectare in 2018 to at least 5 tonnes/ha by 2025.”
Mr Ncube said the target is also to improve water supply and access to potable water through construction and rehabilitation of dams, drilling, repairs and rehabilitation of boreholes as well as upgrading of water stations.
Priority will also be given to developing sporting facilities and developing the sporting curriculum.
Under road maintenance, the province aims to surface a total of 900km road network, re-gravel 264,4km, carry out routine maintenance, the pothole patching and bush clearing, on 640 135km and construct new roads in the urban areas by 2025.
“Guided by the National Social Protection Policy Framework, the province will implement appropriate social protection systems through provision of social assistance, social support and care services and livelihood support systems among others.
“In order to improve social protection, the province will harmonise all social protection programmes, improve targeting of beneficiaries and strengthen monitoring and evaluation,” he said.
The objectives of the provincial economic plan are to achieve sustainable and inclusive economic growth, achieve and sustain inclusive and equitable Real GDP growth, promote new enterprise development to create jobs.
It also seeks to strengthen social infrastructure and social safety nets, ensure sustainable environmental protection and resilience, promote good governance and corporate social investment and modernise the economy through use of ICT and digital technology.
“The province is endowed with vast natural and human capital resources, which are central in sustaining economic growth and development. There are huge mineral deposits, wild animals, a conducive environment for livestock and citrus production. To ensure that the province keeps track with the objectives of Vision 2030 and the NDS1 thrust, it will prioritise increasing production in key sectors such as mining, agriculture and tourism,” Mr Ncube said.
He said to ensure no one is left behind, focus will also be on rural industrialisation and strengthening rural value chains .
Online Reporter