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Minister Nyoni

Elita Chikwati Agriculture Reporter
Small and Medium Enterprises and Cooperative Development Minister Sithembiso Nyoni yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding with a Chinese company Shandong Dejian that will see the establishment of solar milling plants in rural areas worth around $200 million.

The MoU will allow the Chinese company to carry out a feasibility study whose report would be tabled before Cabinet for implementation.

The project is expected to assist farmers in rural areas to add value to their produce, manufacture stockfeeds and also engage in irrigation activities.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Minister Nyoni said the project was testimony of the deep cooperation between Zimbabwe and China.

“The project will play an important role in value addition of rains in the country and promote rural industrialisation as enunciated in the Zim-Asset.

“The solar powered milling plants are a good investment especially in rural areas where in some cases there is no grid electricity. The pricing of the facility should be competitive.

“Other benefits of such projects include creation of employment for the youths and women and disadvantaged groups and create enterprise development opportunities,” she said.

Minister Nyoni said the project would be viable and sustainable to the rural communities as it will reduce milling costs of cereals.

“I am mostly interested in the stockfeeds manufacturing and establishment of horticultural gardens around the milling plants. There should be integrated activities where other activities other than milling of grains can be undertaken,” she said.

She said she encouraged beneficiaries to work as cooperative.

“The ministry is highly committed to the project and will assist Shandong to obtain the necessary approvals to implement the project and coordinate all works with the relevant Zimbabweans authorities to the successful implementation of the project.

“It is my hope that the signing ceremony marks a milestone in the commencement of the implementation of this project,” she said.

Shandong Dejian general manager, Mr Wang Hongbing said his company was also involved in a solar milling plant project in Zambia and assisting farmers in maize processing.

“We have also signed MoUs with Malawi, Mozambique and Uganda to implement the project,” he said.