adminPatrick Chitumba Midlands Bureau Chief
THE government has been commended for empowering women through its policies that has seen women owning land and other resources such as mines.
Addressing hundreds of women gathered at the Rural Women’s Assembly meeting at Value Addition Centre at Gambiza Shopping Centre, Chirumanzu-Zibagwe MP and Zanu-PF deputy secretary for Environment and Tourism Cde Auxilia Mnangagwa said value addition and beneficiation was an integral part of the country’s economic development blueprint, Zim-Asset.
Women from Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South, Midlands and Masvingo provinces exhibited products that included dried vegetables and peanut butter.
The exhibition ran under the theme: “Rural women farmers demanding climate justice, participation in decision making and recognition of their immense contribution to food security.”
Cde Mnangagwa said the theme was important as it spoke of Zim-Asset and in particular the clusters on Food and Nutrition Security and Value Addition and Beneficiation.
She said the Rural Women’s Assembly was playing a huge role in assisting women in rural areas to add value to their products in order to realise more from their farm produce.
“These rural women are also engaged in agro-processing when they prepare dried vegetables (umfushwa), peanut butter making as well as culturing milk among other functions,” said Cde Mnangagwa.
She said it was therefore imperative that whenever policies affecting women are crafted, women are involved.
Rural Women’s Assembly official, Thandiwe Chidavarume, said the organisation sought to empower women.
She said the assembly was spread throughout Sadc region as women from the region shared similar problems.
Chidavarume said the assembly was setting up Value Addition Centres in rural areas throughout the country where women assemble and share ideas on how to transform their lives and that of their communities.
Online Reporter