dyton mupawaenda
Fildah Gwati
THE Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water, and Rural Development is set to host the National Young Farmer Excellence Awards at Zimbabwe Agricultural Society’s Exhibition Park next Tuesday that seeks to acknowledge young farmers for their out-and-out participation in the country’s economic processes through agriculture.
Zimbabwe Farmers Union (ZFU) national youth secretary Joshua Zinzombe said the National Young Farmer Excellence Awards was a prestigious and comprehensive programme that supports and recognises agripreneurs across the agribusiness value chains and was a way of recognising young farmers who are performing well in their agricultural categories and award them accordingly.
“As the ZFU youth wing, it is our duty to promote young farmers’ activities in line with the Second Republic’s NDS1, which seeks to facilitate the realization of the country’s Vision 2030, towards a prosperous and empowered upper middle-income society by 2030 with job opportunities and a high quality of life for its citizens.
“The idea behind the awards is to promote the positive image of young farmers and to identify farming activities characterised by innovation, sustainability and market orientation. The awards will put emphasis on young agripreneurs who are promoting education for development 5,0 that focuses on self-employment, innovation from youth, research, climate change mitigation and adaptation. The message is very clear, young people are not just the future but they are the farmers. The Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Youth Desk coordinator Mr Nicros Kajengo chipped in saying: “You can do great work alone but you can move tremendous mountains when you’re connected. The young farmer awards are meant to expose those excellent emerging farmers with potential to the right corporates and networks, which will help address any challenges they may face, as individuals, which will help catapult them to greater heights.”
By acknowledging, rewarding and celebrating the efforts of young farmers, the National Young Farmer Excellence Awards creates a healthy environment for young farmers to succeed in their pursuits in farming. Celebrating the youth’s achievements provides them a sense of encouragement whilst exposing them to other individuals, hence creating a healthy competitive environment for them to excel.
Award ceremonies bring together accomplished individuals to meet, network and exchange notes with experts from industry and the youth can often find mentorship and guidance from people in their field,” said Michelle Samudzimu a young farmer from Goromonzi.
“Overall, agricultural award ceremonies provide a platform for recognition, learning, networking, and support for young individuals in the agricultural sector. They can play a vital role in inspiring and empowering other youths, fostering their passion for agriculture, and encouraging them to become future leaders and contributors to the field,” added Samudzimu.
Online Reporter