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Abigail Mawonde Herald Correspondent
GOVERNMENT is in the process of setting up an India-Africa Incubation Centre in Harare, which on completion will significantly contribute to agro-processing and value addition. This was revealed by Small and Medium Enterprises and Cooperative Development Deputy Minister Mr Noveti Muponora at the official opening of a training workshop on fruit and vegetable value addition in Harare on Friday.

“My ministry is in the process of setting up the India-Africa Incubation Centre in Waterfalls, Harare. This is the first of its kind in Zimbabwe,” he said. “This centre, when fully operational, will contribute significantly to agro-processing and value addition.” Deputy Minister Muponora said the centre would, among other facilities, have machinery and equipment for fruit juice extraction and bottling, oil extraction and packaging, tomato ketchup processing, and bakery units.

He said Zimbabwe was lagging behind on value addition and this had affected growth of the agro-processing sector. Deputy Minister Muponora urged tertiary institutions to be innovative and enable value addition on products.

“We are therefore calling upon universities and institutions of higher learning to develop technologies and innovations that can be effectively deployed to enhance value addition of agro-products.

“The sector is in need of affordable and adaptive technologies and machinery for the benefit of low and high income earners so that they can add value to our abundant natural resources,” he said.

“Widespread use of such equipment and machinery will enable SMEs and cooperatives to improve storage and shelf life of agricultural products and enhance their value on the market. This will also ensure that wastage of agricultural produce is minimised,” he said. The Government-funded three-day workshop saw 60 SMEs in Mbare trained in fruit and vegetable drying; tomato sauce, chilli sauce and marmalade production.

Deputy Minister Muponora said the main thrust of the programme was to empower SMEs and cooperatives to venture into the business of fruits and vegetables processing by imparting skills on post-harvest techniques for value addition and preservation.

The workshop was held under the theme, “Promoting SMEs and Cooperatives in Fruit and Vegetable Value Addition”.