Vusumuzi Dube
Judith Phiri, Business Reporter
As Zimbabwe works on its re-emergence as the ‘Breadbasket’ of Southern Africa, it has called for investment in the different sub-sectors of agriculture, with the sector contributing up to 18 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP).
Under the Agriculture and Food Systems Transformation Strategy (2021-2025), the aspirations were to grow agriculture from a US$5.2 billion to an US$8.2 billion-agriculture economy by 2025, however, the target has already been achieved.
Speaking at the Zimbabwe Trade and Investment Forum at the ongoing Turkey Expo 2023 in Kahramanmaras, Turkey on Wednesday, Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Deputy Minister Davis Marapira said the agriculture sector’s contribution to the economy was enormous.
“Zimbabwe is a US$66 billion economy that is anchored on agriculture, among other key sectors such as manufacturing, mining, and tourism industries. The agriculture sector contributes up to 18 percent of GDP and provides livelihoods to more than 67 percent of the population, which lives in rural areas,” he said.
“The Government of the Republic of Zimbabwe maintains an open for all business mantra and investors are welcome to participate in the development of Zimbabwe’s agriculture sector through Public Private Partnerships (PPPs), Joint Ventures and even setting Private Investments.”
He said Zimbabwe was endowed with an abundance of fertile agricultural land of up to 33 million hectares and a good tropical climate which allows the country to grow more than 35 crop and livestock enterprises.
The Deputy Minister said Zimbabwe, being centrally located in Southern Africa with road, rail and air linkages to the SADC and COMESA region with a combined population of nearly 600 million people provides a potentially profitable investment destination for every investor in agriculture and agri-business sector.
He added: “Zimbabwe, through the religious implementation of the National Development Strategy I (NDS1) and the Agriculture and Food Systems Strategy under the wise leadership of His Excellency President Dr Emmerson Mnangagwa, has already achieved an US$8.2 billion agriculture economy is boasting of food self-sufficiency and food security two years earlier than had been planned.”
In terms of investment and trade opportunities that Zimbabwe presents to every investor, Deputy Minister Marapira said these include the primary crop and livestock production, agricultural machinery and equipment, water and irrigation infrastructure development, manufacture and supply of agriculture inputs and marketing and trade of agriculture produce among others.
On primary crop and livestock production, he said Zimbabwe was ideal for the production of more than 23 exportable crops and livestock commodities including maize and other cereals, soyabean and other oil crops, legumes, macadamia, coffee, avocados, citrus and other key fruit trees.
“In the horticulture sub-space, blueberries, pecanuts, macadamia nuts, avocados, coffee, passion fruit and other high value crops present perfect opportunities for export-oriented investors who are keen to realize reasonable profit margins.”
On agricultural machinery and equipment, the Deputy Minister said Zimbabwe currently has about 10 000 tractors yet the country requires more than 40 000 tractors.
He said the investment opportunity here starts with supply contracts, up to local manufacture and supply for distribution in Zimbabwe and the Sub-Saharan Africa, among other opportunities.
The forum ran under the theme: “Towards Agriculture Growth: Engage-Collaborate and Partner” and gave Zimbabwe an opportunity to share its investment and trade opportunities, and exchange knowledge on trade requirements with participating countries at the Expo.
Bongani Ndlovu