Zim to cluster value chains Cde Mabuwa
Deputy Minister Mabuwa

Deputy Minister Mabuwa

Business Reporter
ZIMBABWE is working on re-arranging the 12 value chains it identified into the three clusters that have been prioritised by Sadc under its Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap.

This comes as Sadc member states were requested to indicate priority value chains with Zimbabwe identifying 12, which are soya, sugar, meat, dairy products, food and drinks, horticulture, forestry, wildlife, fertilizer, mining, cement and pharmaceuticals, that is, ARVs and anti-TB drugs, among others.

But Industry and Commerce Deputy Minister Chiratidzo Mabuwa told a stakeholders consultative meeting, spearheading the implementation of the Sadc Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap at the national level, yesterday that at regional level three areas have been prioritised, namely agro processing, mining and downstream processing.

“Which means we could cluster our 12 value chains. You will agree with me that we need to be more streamlined and more tactful. A consultant was in the country in March this year to gather information on the country’s priority value chains.

“Furthermore, there is an upcoming workshop in South Africa next week to further discuss the issue. Your input to this important meeting is therefore welcome so that our national interests are taken on board,” said Deputy Minister Mabuwa.

Already, $18 million has been secured for the 11th European Development Fund to assist in a detailed value chain mapping on products which have a regional impact and market integration in priority sectors — pushing the agenda of inseparability and mutual supportiveness of the three pillars.

In this regard, efforts are underway to ensure that three value chains will be considered per member state.Also, the World Bank has a kitty of about $11 million for detailed value chain mapping in the mining sector.

“For the Sadc industrialisation to be successful, the private sector has to take a leading role since they are the implementers while Government remains at your disposal to create the necessary environment for you to operate in.

“Therefore, the private sector has to advise Government on the structures that you deem necessary to spearhead the industrialisation strategy,” she said.The primary orientation of the Sadc Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap is the importance of technological and economic transformation of the region through industrialisation, modernisation, skills development, science and technology, financial strengthening and deeper regional integration.

The strategy is anchored on three pillars — industrialisation as champion of economic and technological transformation; competitiveness as an active process to move from comparative advantage to competitive advantage; and regional integration and geography as the context for industrial development and economic prosperity.

The Sadc Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap’s long term vision is aligned to the African Union Agenda 2063, covering the period 2015-2063.

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