Online Reporter
Tendai Gukutikwa
Post Reporter
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa’s youth empowerment drive continues to bear fruit, with nine young farmers in Manicaland receiving brand new tractors and farming implements under the Government’s agricultural mechanisation programme.
The programme seeks to boost productivity and support the attainment of Vision 2030 goals.
The initiative, facilitated through Empower Bank in partnership with Duly’s Motors, saw each district in Manicaland benefiting from the latest batch of tractors and ploughs under a soft loan arrangement designed to make farming more accessible to youths.
Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Advocate Misheck Mugadza, who presided over the handover ceremony, said the gesture clearly demonstrated that President Mnangagwa’s administration is committed to empower youths and transforming agriculture into a viable business venture.
“Our youths have been empowered. President Mnangagwa walks the talk.
He promised them empowerment, and he has made it possible.
Farming is the backbone of our economy, and this boost will contribute significantly to the province’s GDP. We encourage the beneficiaries to make good use of this machinery so that others can emulate them, and ensure that the President’s efforts are not in vain,” said Minister Mugadza.
Minister Mugadza said the mechanisation programme is, not only a tool for production, but also a symbol of trust in the young generation’s ability to lead the nation towards self-sufficiency and industrialisation.
“This gesture shows that the President believes in young people’s potential to transform our agricultural landscape. We must not disappoint him,” he added.
ZANU-PF Manicaland provincial youth league chairman, Cde Stanley Sakupwanya, echoed similar sentiments, saying the tractors are a continuation of President Mnangagwa’s promises to empower young people in all economic sectors.
“We want to thank the President for fulfilling his promises that youths should be empowered. He has shown that young people should engage in farming activities so that they can grow their farming businesses. These tractors are not freebies. They are availed through a loan system with a very flexible rate that allows our young people to participate in commercial farming,” said Cde Sakupwanya.
He said President Mnangagwa has already demonstrated his commitment to empower youths through various initiatives, including the Presidential 10-Hectare Scheme and the Presidential Cattle Scheme.
“The President gave young people land through the 10-hectare scheme and cattle to start their projects. Now, with these pieces of machinery, they will make full use of that land and contribute to the 2030 agenda of achieving an upper-middle-income economy,” he said.
Cde Sakupwanya said the Government has been rolling out several agricultural mechanisation and empowerment programmes across the country aimed at equipping smallholder and youth farmers with modern tools to increase productivity and contribute to food security.
He said the handover formed part of the broader Second Republic agenda to transform agriculture into a profitable, technology-driven sector capable of driving Zimbabwe’s economic growth.
The beneficiaries will access the machinery through Empower Bank’s low-interest loan facility, ensuring sustainability while promoting responsible usage. The initiative also complements the Government’s broader Vision 2030 goal of building an upper-middle-income economy through inclusive growth, employment creation, and value addition.
Empower Bank Manicaland manager, Mr Costa Tavanzume, said they remain committed to support young farmers by providing affordable financing and resources.
He said Empower Bank will continue to work closely with other Government departments to ensure that beneficiaries receive the necessary training and technical support to make the best use of their equipment.
Duly’s Motors Mutare branch manager, Mr Cardwell Mukonde, whose company supplied the tractors, expressed gratitude for being part of the initiative.
Beneficiaries who received the tractors could hardly contain their excitement. Headman Mandeya, of Mutasa District, said the equipment will significantly boost productivity in his area.
Another beneficiary, Cde Tabitha Dhlakama, of Chipinge District, said the programme demonstrated that the Second Republic values gender equality in economic empowerment.
“I am thrilled to have received a tractor and a plough. As female farmers, we are not being left behind. We recently received 10-hectare farms, and now we can utilise this equipment to fully exploit our land’s potential. I want to thank the President for recognising women’s significant role in farming,” said Cde Dhlakama.
Other beneficiaries described the programme as life-changing, stating that it will enable them to expand their farming operations, create employment opportunities for other young people, and contribute to the national vision of food self-sufficiency.
Cde Zivai Chinotimba of Buhera District, said: “Before this programme, we relied on hiring tractors, which was expensive and caused delays during the planting season. Now, with this new tractor, we can work faster, reduce costs, and even assist other farmers in our community.”
