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Blessings Chidakwa in MURAMBINDA

The roll out of 10 000 village business units is on course with some already operational, including about 50 in Murambinda alone, where this year’s Independence Celebrations will be held.

President Mnangagwa is set to hand over the model village business units to the beneficiaries during the Uhuru celebrations.

Cabinet directed that 10 000 business units be established by November this year as the game changer projects are set to economically empower the once less privileged in society with women and youth among the beneficiaries.

Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Minister Dr Anxious Masuka last Friday toured some of the completed village business units, including one in Dzenga area village 15, Buhera West Constituency where the villagers hailed the Government for the project.

Minister Masuka said the economically empowered villagers can now sell produce and generate income.

“We should train our people to know that farming is a business. Agriculture indeed can empower the transformation of rural livelihoods,” he said.

A villager, Mrs Gracious Magumbo, thanked the President for economically empowering them.“I never imagined in my entire life that I would own a business with my fellow villagers.

“We have vast land which was underutilised but after the provision of a water source and drip irrigation facilities, it is left upon us to shine.

“Next month we should be able to start selling our produce,” she said.

A youth, Mr Aleck Mabwe said he was delighted that the Government was living true to its word of leaving no one and no place behind.

“The Government has provided us with a drip irrigation system which is commendable. Our President should continue on that path as we were poverty stricken in this area.

“Water is a scarce resource in this dry land, so being gifted with solarised boreholes is commendable. Our lives will never be the same again,” he said.

One of the project implementers, Dr Paul Tungwarara said the target is to set up 10 000 village business units across the country.

“The business units that have been established are 38 and we are moving towards our deadline to have set up 50 business units before Independence Celebrations. Here in Buhera district, some village business units are already in use.

“We are not only doing business in Buhera, but across the whole country with works ongoing in Gutu, Plumtree, Wedza, among others,” he said.

Dr Tungwarara said rural development and investment is something that is at the heart of the Government.

“The village business units being set up are in line with the Second Republic’s mantra of leaving no one and no place behind,” he said.

An Investment Conference on Irrigation Financing will be hosted this year to attract both internal and external investors to provide the necessary impetus to accelerate irrigation rehabilitation and development and Village Business Units programmes to ensure food security.