Youth export incubation project on the cards
THE country’s trade promotion agency, ZimTrade, says it will soon launch a youth export incubation programme titled “Eagles’ Nest” that will run from this month to December 2020.
The programme will be conducted in Harare, Bulawayo, Mutare and Gweru and seeks to energise exports through inclusive participation in national economic activities. The programme also seeks to nurture youth-led small to medium enterprises (SMEs) into export ready companies, it said.
“This will be achieved through various interventions that are aimed at improving the competitiveness of youth owned enterprises and developing linkages to local and international markets,” said ZimTrade.
The youth are an important demography in the global economy. According to the United Nations, Africa has the fastest growing youth population in the world, with approximately 60 percent of its population under the age of 24.
The International Trade Centre (ITC) also states that, “a focus on youth in trade is particularly relevant today, given that young people account for a large and growing proportion of the population in many developing countries.”
ITC has further noted that many of Zimbabwe’s young people are increasingly showing interest and venturing into sectors such as agriculture and agro-processing that perform well on the export market. The Eagles Nest programme, thus, seeks to capitalise on the successes of some of the youth-led businesses on the local market.
ZimTrade chief executive officer, Mr Allan Majuru, said it was important to include young people in all activities aimed at increasing Zimbabwe’s share of the export market.
“Youth represent the future of a society and its economy. It is important that we include the youth when we talk of increasing Zimbabwean exports,” he said.
“The youth incubation programme will ensure that young people are capacitated and able to create sustainable export enterprises that guarantee the future trade success for Zimbabwe.”
In terms of implementation the incubation programme will be divided into three phases where 10 out of 100 youth-led companies will be chosen to participate in various training and interventions to capacitate them for the export markets. After receiving support, the 10 youth-owned SMEs will contest in the national final where the overall winner will be selected.
Phase one of implementation covers the “pitch week” where selected SMEs will go through an export awareness seminar. Second stage covers capacity building assistance after a needs assessment is conducted. Thereafter, 10 selected youth-owned SMEs would receive technical support from a team of both local collaborators and international experts. –chronicl.co.zw
