‘US$14 billion economy by 2025’ – Masuka
SHANNISE DZOBO
MASVINGO – The Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Anxious Masuka told farmers and other stakeholders at the Masvingo Provincial Agricultural Show last week that the government is aiming to establish a USD13,75 billion economy by 2025.
The agricultural show ran from Thursday to Sunday last week under the theme ‘Transformation, The Key Engine For Economic Growth’.
Masuka said the Agriculture and Food Systems Transformation Strategy (AFSTS) which was launched by President Mnangagwa in August 2020 was aimed at building a resilient and climate-proofed agricultural sector.
“Through this AFSTS we have created an enabling policy environment for more investments and have enhanced private sector participation in agricultural value chain development and now we aim to establish a USD13,75 billion economy by 2025, up from the initially projected USD8.2 billion”, said Masuka.
“By the end of December 2022, we had achieved a USD9.9 billion sector and the review of the AFSTS has yielded the AFSRTS whose revised Mission is “To develop a diverse, robust, and sustainable agriculture sector to ensure national food and nutrition security while contributing to improved economic development for the attainment of Vision 2030”.
He went on to say that the show presents a platform to highlight innovation and progress in the advancement of the agricultural sector in Masvingo.
“The show presents an opportunity to showcase the ecosystem of opportunities in the agriculture sector at all nodes of the production chain from, ideation, research, innovation and technology development and deployment through production and productivity to marketing, trade and consumption issues, in a dynamic operating environment characterized by challenges occasioned by climate change, conflict and the just ended COVID-19 pandemic and economic volatility”.
Masuka also urged the young generation to be inducted into the agricultural fold through various digital spaces.
“The young generation should be inducted into the agricultural fold through digitally enabled and caustically re-unified choreographs of the positive impacts of agriculture on livelihoods, employment and economic development”.
Minister Masuka who officially opened the annual provincial agricultural premier show was accompanied by the Minister of State for Masvingo Province and Devolution, Ezra Chadzamira.