Zimbabwe hosts major horticulture conference

Precious Manomano Herald Reporter

Zimbabwe is today hosting a horticultural conference in Harare to discuss opportunities for the sector and how to tackle emerging challenges.

The Horticulture Development Council (HDC) which represents the country’s horticulture growers, is hosting the forum under the theme “Opportunities in the field, in policy and all the way to the bank.’’

Among the confirmed speakers are; the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Dr Anxious Masuka, and Professor Mthuli Ncube, the Minister of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion.

This is the second such forum, after last year’s debut event that drew strong interest from across the industry.

HCD chief executive officer, Mrs Linda Nielsen, said the 2023 edition of the HDC Investment Forum comes at a critical time for the industry.

“This is a major event on Zimbabwe’s agriculture calendar. The Investment Forum brings together growers, experts from various fields of horticulture, investors, and policymakers. The horticulture sector is central to the country’s economic growth. For industry to fully develop to its potential, significant investment is required. We will discuss solutions to some of the most pressing constraints, such as access to financing, the policy environment, climate change and energy,” said Mrs Nielsen.