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Elita Chikwati

Senior Reporter

President Mnangagwa has launched the Agriculture and Food Systems Transformation Strategy which seeks to achieve a US $8,2 billion agriculture economy by 2025.

The strategy is a composite plan of action drawn from the Agriculture Recovery and Livestock Growth Plans.

The Agriculture and Food Systems Transformation Strategy was initiated during the tenure of the late National Hero and former Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement Minister Perrance Shiri.

Launching the strategy at the 8th annual agribusiness conference hosted by the National Economic Consultative Forum and the Zimbabwe Agricultural Society this morning, President Mnangagwa said the Strategy and plans were a bold statement of the legacy of the late Minister Shiri and was a constant reminder to the players in the agriculture sector to be more dedicated in the processof growing the economy.

He said the success of the Agriculture and Food systems Transformation Strategy would heavily depend on a co-ordinated and multi sectoral approach.

” I am pleased that this two pronged occasion comes at the heels of my recent launch of the US $5 billion Tourism Strategy in Victoria Falls as well as the earlier launch of the US $12 billion Mining Industry Strategy.

” The Agriculture and Food Systems Strategy compliments the above and is an integral part of our national development agenda. This is aimed at industrialisation, modernisation and creating a sustainable investment environment for our society. The three mutually reinforcing strategies envision the attainment of a US $25 billion economy in the three respective sectors by 2025,” he said.

President Mnangagwa said his administration was committed to end hunger and poverty in line with the aspiration of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and the 2014 African Union Malabo Declaration.

” Hence the launch of this strategy fulfils our domestication of global instruments with regards to the realisation of the right to food and nutrition by our society,” he said.

The agribusiness conference was also attended by Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement Minister Dr Anxious Masuka, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Sibusiso Moyo, Minister of State for Harare Cde Oliver Chidawu, farmer representatives and representatives from the agriculture sector among others.

The conference is expected to discuss agriculture production and prodictivity, challenges being faced in the sector, possible solutions to the challenges and the preparedness for the 2020/21 summer cropping season.