Chronicle Editor
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu ,[email protected]
THE 66th edition of the annual Matabeleland South Agricultural Show kicked off yesterday with a focus on driving value-addition and beneficiation among farmers while adopting climate smart technologies to mitigate the effects droughts.
This year’s show, which runs until Saturday, is being held under the theme: “Smart Interventions in Agribusiness: Our Top Priority.”
The expo will be officially opened on Saturday by Colonel Miniyothabo Chiwenga who is wife of Vice President, Dr Constantino Chiwenga.
Crop and livestock farmers, Government departments, various ministries, parastatals, seed companies, non-governmental organisations, uniformed forces and funeral parlors, are among the exhibitors.
The show is an opportunity for farmers from the province to exhibit their products with public and private organisations coming in to showcase their services.
Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Matabeleland South Agricultural Show Society president, Ms Sharon Dewa, said this year’s theme was inspired by the prevailing El Nino induced drought.
She said the agricultural show has to serve as a platform where farmers are capacitated in order to adopt climate smart practices.
Ms Dewa said interactions between farmers and various stakeholders help proffer solutions for farmers to remain productive in the face of climate change.
“The country is experiencing an El Nino-induced drought and Matabeleland South, which is a livestock region has been greatly affected. Through this year’s agricultural show we want farmers to see and learn about climate smart measures, which they can adopt to mitigate the effects of the prevailing drought,” she said.
“This situation hasn’t only affected farmers but also affected various partners that work with farmers. We are one of the hard-hit provinces but we can still strive in livestock production, small grain farming and we can also maximise in value addition.
“Under value addition, we will go an extra mile as a show society as we are going to be supporting farmers, especially small scale with items like machinery, which will help them maximise value addition.”
Ms Dewa said agriculture was one of the main drivers of the Matabeleland South provincial economy, which is largely rural hence farmers need to be capacitated to sustain their operations in the face of climate change.
She said the El Nino-induced drought has, however, affected the turnout of livestock farmers who were concerned with the state of their animals.
Ms Dewa said the response from exhibitors has been pleasing with a number of new exhibitors taking part in this year’s show.
“Our exhibitors are drawn from all the seven provincial districts and beyond. We are excited by the response from the farmers both crop and livestock across the province. We still our traditional exhibitors such as Government departments, banks, parastatals, livestock and crop farmers among others. We also have new exhibitors such as Power Tel, Shashe Sub catchment, Pangani Vocational College,” she said.
“We also have a new category on dogs where people will be exhibiting various breeds. A lot of entertainment is lined up from various performers both local and regional. There will be entertainment and games for children.”
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