By Tanyaradzwa Kutaura |  7 months ago | business

Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries Water and Rural Development Permanent Secretary Dr John Bhasera says the revival of young farmer’s clubs will aid the promotion of agricultural activities among graduates with relevant training and contribute towards increased production.

In a speech read on his behalf by the Ministry's Director Gender Main Streaming, Inclusivity and Wellness Jairos Mandizadza during a Youth in Agriculture Independence Expo at Chaminuka Training Centre Mt Darwin Mashonaland Central recently Dr Bhasera called on institutions working with young farmers to promote innovation.

“The government wants to ensure that the agricultural sector retains its critical space in the economy, one way of doing this is through reviving the young farmer’s clubs and ensuring that all agricultural graduates from colleges proritise farming as a noble career rather than seeking employment as the situation used to be when they were absorbed by the Ministry and the private sector.

“I therefore urge institutions working with young farmers to involve various stakeholders and venture into enterprises such as horticulture, animal husbandry, and agroforestry among other initiatives.

 He added that authorities are satisfied with the pace at which youths are participating in government-initiated climate-proofing agricultural practices.

"It is pleasing to note that the youth in agriculture have fully embraced government programs such as Pfumvunza/Intwasa, Command Agriculture among others.

“My ministry shall work hand in glove with key partners to ensure youths are satisfied through the global gap program to export their products around the world, since our economy is very much agro based the government continues to give priority to the sector through various programs such as farm mechanisation and ensures a certain quota is reserved for the youth," he said.

Speaking at the same event Zimbabwe Youth Council (ZYC) executive director Brian Nyagwande said, youths are a pivotal group towards realisation of Vision 2030.

“As the youth you still have the energy to contribute to work and contribute towards developing Zimbabwe.

"Our President initiated Vision 2030 which seeks to transform the country's economy and improve our livelihoods.

"I therefore urge you as youths to take a leading role to by directing all your efforts to make sure as a country we achieve Vision 2030, as the younger generation let’s support the initiative as we have what it takes to achieve the goal,” he said. 

Meanwhile Chaminuka Vocational Training College (Chamtec) farm manager Patience Denga urged the younger generation to complement government's efforts in making sure Zimbabwe becomes food self-sufficient.

"We are geared towards producing youths that can become entrepreneurs and positively contribute to improving the country's economy," she said.

"Our vocational training college has 13 disciplines in youth agriculture and we aim to empower them with the best agricultural practices.

"The main thrust is for us to have youths who participate in Pfumvunza activities and we are offering them plots where they carry out the training.

"We believe in producing youths who can manage themselves when they get into the farming business,” she said.

The training College has at least 1200 hectares of arable land with crops including maize, tobacco, sugar bean, soya beans, sunflowers, and livestock activities.

The expo was attended by youths from the country's ten provinces.