Online Reporter
Nqobile Bhebhe and Kimberly Chitambara, Zimpapers Writers
TERTIARY students under the banner of the Zimbabwe Congress of Students’ union (Zicosu) have expressed a strong interest in engaging President Mnangagwa at his Pricabe Farm in Sherwood, Kwekwe, to gain first-hand insights into his leadership philosophy and innovations in modern agriculture.
The request was made during a one-day strategic seminar held yesterday at Bulawayo Polytechnic, jointly organised by Zicosu and the Zanu-PF Youth League. Held under the theme “Sustainable Tourism: Equipping Hospitality Students for Leadership in a Vision 2030 Economy,” the seminar aimed to equip hospitality students with leadership skills and expose them to opportunities within the national economic transformation agenda.
On the sidelines of the seminar, Zicosu national president Mr Kudzai Murombedzi appealed to Tourism and Hospitality Industry Deputy Minister Tongai Mnangagwa to facilitate a visit to the President’s model farm.
“As students, we desire to have a dialogue with President Mnangagwa at his unique farm to learn about new high technology in agriculture. We can only deepen our understanding of his leadership philosophy and innovation by sitting down with him on the farm,” said Mr Murombedzi.
Deputy Minister Mnangagwa pledged to support the request, highlighting the importance of linking students with national leadership.
“I heard that 120 students want to visit President Mnangagwa at his Pricabe Farm in Kwekwe. Your leadership insisted on having a dialogue with the President, so you can only learn from someone with experience and knowledge. I will facilitate that meeting,” he said.
Pricabe Farm has become one of the country’s leading showcases of smart agriculture — a modern farming concept that uses advanced technologies such as big data, Internet of Things (IoT), and cloud computing for monitoring, automation, and precision analysis of farming operations.
The Sherwood farming area, once owned by a handful of white commercial farmers, was redistributed under the Land Reform Programme and is now home to 45 resettled A2 farmers, among them the First Family. President Mnangagwa has transformed his farm into a highly mechanised and productive operation, boasting over 2 000 cattle, 400 goats, as well as poultry and fish projects. His hands-on approach has resulted in yields nearly 10 times greater than those of the previous white commercial farmer, making a significant contribution to the national food basket.
A unique hallmark of the farm has been its long-standing commitment to worker welfare. Since 2008, President Mnangagwa has ensured that two beasts are slaughtered weekly to feed farm workers and their families.
Over the years, Pricabe Farm has attracted visits from Heads of State, Cabinet Ministers, parliamentarians, and interest groups, establishing itself as a model of agricultural innovation and productivity.
