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Elita Chikwati Agriculture Reporter
All is set for the 2016 Harare Agricultural Show with Sierra Leone President, Ernest Bai Koroma expected to officially open the event on Thursday. The show will run from Monday August 22 to Saturday August 27 under the theme; “Climate Resilience: The New Agricultural Frontier”. Zimbabwe Agricultural Society chief executive Dr Anxious Masuka yesterday confirmed that Sierra Leone president was this year’s guest of honour.

“The show will be officially opened on Thursday by Sierra Leone president. This year we have lots of activities for the business sector and the general public. “On Monday, we have organised a function dubbed Make Local Buy Local where more than 80 local companies are expected to showcase more than 400 products on the Zimbabwean pavilion we have made.

“We want to show the high quality of local products and their affordability,” he said. Industry and Commerce Minister, Cde Mike Bimha, is expected to grace the function. Dr Masuka said events during the show week include the Zimbabwe National Chamber of Commerce breakfast meeting, Agribusiness Conference, which is expected to be officiated by Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa and quiz for primary schools.

Entertainment includes road show, youth festival, drum majorettes, fireworks, displays from police, Zimbabwe Defence Forces and Zimbabwe Prison Correctional Services and livestock parades among others.

Children will also be entertained at the amusement park.

“The show charges have remained $5 for adults and one dollar for children under the age of 12.

“Tuesday August 23 will be free uniforms day and all schoolchildren in uniforms will attend the show free of charge.

“We are taking all forms of plastic money including pre-paid tickets from ZB bank in Harare.”

According to ZAS, issues of climate resilience have emerged as necessary and survival rallying points of convergence by many since the 1990s.

“Considering the global implications of the impact induced by climate change, climate resilience has become a critical concept that scientific institutions, policymakers, governments and local and international organisations have begun to rally around as a framework for designing the solutions that will be needed to address the effects of global warming,” said ZAS.

The society believes it is key for stakeholders to address vulnerability that communities, states and countries currently face from the environmental consequences of climate change.