admin
Wallace Ruzvidzo in HAMILTON, New Zealand
Zimbabwe is striving to ensure sustained food security and to resume food exports, the country’s Ambassador to New Zealand Joe Tapera Mhishi has said.
Zimbabwe is participating at the 55th New Zealand Fieldays which started here yesterday and is keen on making strides towards full mechanisation of the agriculture sector.
The country is the only African state participating at the agriculture and business fair, a clear indication that Zimbabwe is making strides in engagement and re-engagement as well as in its quest to see through sustained food sufficiency and export trade in food products.
Zimbabwe’s delegation held meetings with agriculture companies willing to collaborate in improving the agriculture sector.
In an interview after a series of engagements yesterday, Ambassador Mhishi said Zimbabwe was keen on sustained food self-sufficiency and growth of the agriculture sector.
New Zealand has expressed interest in collaborating with Zimbabwe for the mutual benefit of both countries.
“This is the first time that Zimbabwe is participating at the Fieldays and the composition of the Zimbabwe delegation speaks to the thrust of the national programme. You already see the intentions of a country that is resolved towards addressing issues of food security, generating exports in the long run.
“We are here focused on the agriculture sector in particular the area of livestock breeding and improving livestock genetics and also of artificial insemination.
“We have a lead player in the Chinhoyi University of Technology so this is an opportunity for them to also connect with New Zealand.”
New Zealand itself has a population of just 5 million but produces food for 55 million people which they export.
Ambassador Mhishi said New Zealand companies had advised Zimbabwe to focus on the right genetics as this was a trump-card in the country’s quest to increase its national herd.
“The New Zealanders are talking of good genetics in order to achieve the efficient means of gaining more returns. It is very important for us to learn how New Zealand has become the strong agricultural country that it is,” he said.
Ambassador Mhishi said Government’s engagement and re-engagement stance had proved successful and was opening commercial and other doors.
“Underlying this spirit of exchange is the policy of engagement and re-engagement. Zimbabwe and New Zealand have traditionally shared a strong bond of cooperation and friendship. We should be identifying many areas of mutual benefit that will strengthen this relationship so that once again there is friendship in action,” he said.
In a separate interview, Massey University’s School of Agriculture and Environment head Professor Paul Kenyon, said it was important for Zimbabwe to employ research before going about farming operations.
“New Zealand has a population of about 5 million people but we produce food for 55 million people and that is because we are taking advantage of our natural environment to grow pasture,” he said.
A productive sideline conversation was also convened with New Zealand’s Minister of Trade, Agriculture and Biosecurity who expressed the country’s willingness to learn more about Zimbabwe’s agricultural operations.
Marondera University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Chinhoyi University of Technology, Bindura University of Science Education and Women’s University in Africa among others are exhibiting at the Fieldays.
Online Reporter