Chronicle Editor
Precious Manomano, Harare Bureau
THE rural industrialisation drive has taken a new dimension, with the Government launching the Vision 2030 Agriculture and Livelihood Tracker (VALT) to assess the extent to which initiatives by the Second Republic are uplifting the lives of ordinary people.
VALT was launched by Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Minister Dr Anxious Masuka in Goromonzi yesterday.
The initiative is part of President Mnangagwa’s broader agricultural transformation plan aimed at transforming subsistence farmers into commercially viable farmers and so bringing the largest single occupation group of Zimbabweans into the middle-income world.
“We are launching VALT here in Goromonzi. This is rural development in motion,” Dr Masuka said.
“We will be tracking progress of all our agricultural programmes to ensure that we uplift the lives of the rural population. On village business units, what is produced is informed by the market. Arda will assist them with agronomy. AFC Holdings will assist with cash flows while AMA will assist with marketing and Agritex will assist with training.”
Tracking the progress of Government programmes would ensure the success of such initiatives while areas seeing challenges could be reviewed.
Dr Masuka said the establishment of village business units would be accelerated to transform rural areas through increased incomes.
Government has so far established about 405 village business units under the ongoing Presidential Rural Development Programme, to improve the livelihoods of rural communities.
Beneficiaries of the Gocha Business Unit expressed gratitude over the establishment of their village business unit, saying it would go a long way in alleviating hunger and improving incomes.
The business unit consists of a fish pond, nutrition garden, solar powered borehole and a livestock dipping centre.
Villagers say they aim to earn over US$7 000 after selling cabbages, tomatoes and vegetables that are now ready for the market.
Mr Enock Murape of Murape Village said the unit would go a long way in addressing issues of hunger in the area.
“We have employed ourselves here in the garden. We are doing quite well and we can afford to send our children to school without borrowing money from anyone,” he said.
Mrs Patience Chipuriro said they were benefiting from the initiative.
“We can sustain our families through this garden. There is no need to look for employment in urban areas. We have plenty of water and we do crop rotation every season. We work here with our neighbours so we support each other,” she said.
Ms Nyasha Kanovhetenga said the initiative had changed their lives and livelihoods.
Chief Goromonzi Chikwaka born Witness Murambiwa said President Mnangagwa’s vision of uplifting the rural population was greatly appreciated.
“This village business unit has rescued my community. People can produce goods for consumption and also for sale.
“This has positively transformed my community. We were thinking that employment was only found in urban areas, not knowing that here in rural areas people can work for themselves and earn a reasonable amount to sustain themselves,” he said.
Over 100 villagers received Pfumvudza/Intwasa inputs at the event.
Online Reporter
Londile Moyo