Nevanji Munyaradzi Chiondegwa
Government is committed to mainstream youth participation in national programmes, across all sectors as well as their participation in politics and governance architecture.
This was said by President Emerson Mnangagwa at the launch of the Provincial Intergrated Youth Skills Development Centres and Handover of 600 Heifers held at DCK Farm in Sebakwe Block, Kwekwe today( yesterday).
The launch attended by 600 youths who had undergone a two-fay training workshop held by ARDA at Kwekwe Polytechnic.
Government is, under the Agriculture and Food Systems Strategy committed to improve production, productivity and profitability of Agriculture sector. President Mnangagwa said, “Equally important has been the need to enhance efficiencies and broaden Agriculture resource allocation, to enable out people to run successful farming businesses. In respect to achieving the desired successes and in view of their demographic dividend, young people cannot be left behind.”
President Mnangagwa in August 2021, at the ZIMPLATS Hybrinf Cattle Ranching Joint Venture Project directed the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development to identify 500 hectares of land in eight of each rural provinces on the country. It was after this that the concept of Provincial Intergrated Youth Skills Development Centres was birthed.
Speaking of these centres, President Mnangagwa said, “It is also my expectation that the Provincial Intergrated Youth Skills Development Centres should emerge as centres of excellence for youth entrepreneurial development and incubation hubs for the accelerated agricultural transformation that leaves no one and no place behind.”
Speaking after handing over 600 heifers, 10 tractors and seeds to Youths from across the country, President Mnangagwa also said, “On its part, my Government will provide the necessary infrastructure, machinery, tools and equipment to train the youth o various aspects of the Agriculture value chains, guided by the ‘farm to fork’ mantra.”
President Mnangagwa also said that each Centre will continue to be supported by the various Presidential Input Support Schemes including the Heifer Pass-on Scheme, Goat Pass-on Scheme, Rural Poultry Pass-on Scheme, Dairy and Beef Pastures Development as well as the On-farm Feeds Formulations and Fisheries Schemes and Input for Crop Production. This he said was to help kick-start their projects and to boost production, productivity and profitability.
He also said that additional training, monitoring and evaluating will be availed at the farms.
In reference to the past were Zimbabwe has addressed colonial land imbalances, President Mnangagwa said, “This Provincial Intergrated Youth Skills Development Programme is in itself part of the consolidation of the irreversible Land Reform Programme. It also symbolises the pass-on to the next generation, of the principle that lane is central to us, the people of Zimbabwe.”
He also spoke of how it reinforces that a strong agriculture sector is a critical cig for an economically strong Zimbabwe and how prosperous farmers are key to developing an upper middle income society and a prosperous nation by 2030.
Government, in the Second Republic want to reorient those in the Agriculture sector to perceive and undertake farming as a business. In this regard the youth are set to be capacitated a the the youth hubs or farms under the Provincial Intergrated Youth Skills Development programme with hands on skills in Agri-business.
President Mnangagwa challenged the youth from across the length and breadth of the country to occupy the Agriculture space towards growing the national economy and realisation of Vision 2030. The initiative will benefit many indirect beneficiaries, accelerate the creation of rural industry systems as well as help uplift many young people out of poverty into prosperity.
President Mnangagwa said that, “Today marks the beginning of the Youth Agriculture Transformation by empowering them through a Presidential Heifer Pass-on Scheme. This initiative also complements my Government’s efforts to rebuild the national cattle Herd and promote production of beef for domestic consumption and exports. The programme will be rolled out in all rural provinces in line with our mantra of ‘leaving no one and no place behind.’
President Mnangagwa informed the gathered thousands that the National Cattle Genetic Improvement Programme using artificial insemination will support the Provincial Intergrated Youth Skills Development Centres initiative to improve nationwide production and productivity of high carcass weight and quality, conception rates, milk yield and calving rates.
President Mnangagwa also directed the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development to continue closely collaborating with other stakeholders along the agriculture value chain and development partners for the success of the programme and uplifting of the standard of living of the people especially the youth.
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