All set for inaugural agribusiness forum
All is set for the inaugural Agri-Business Forum, which is designed to harness the potential that exists in agriculture through collaboration between input suppliers, farmers, and food processors.
The event is being hosted by leading business news publication, Business Weekly, a unit of the country’s largest media organisation, Zimbabwe Newspapers Group..
The agri-business conference will bring together investors, entrepreneurs, and policymakers to discuss the latest trends and opportunities in the agribusiness market.
Running under the theme “Collaboration For a Sustainable Future; Agriculture and Business Working Together”, the forum is scheduled to take place on October 13, 2023 at Rainbow Towers in Harare.
There will also be panel discussions on several issues including the future of food security, investing in sustainable agriculture, the role of technology in agriculture, the impact of climate change on agriculture, the importance of collaboration, and bridging the gap between agriculture and business.
The agri-business conference will bring together investors, entrepreneurs, and policymakers.
Agri-business encompasses the entire value chain of agricultural production, processing, distribution, and marketing. Across Africa, agriculture remains a dominant sector, employing a significant portion of the population.
African countries, Zimbabwe included, can harness the potential of this sector to drive economic growth, create employment opportunities, and alleviate poverty.
Agriculture is linked to food security, which is a crucial concern for many African economies, and by promoting agri-business, economies can enhance agricultural productivity through modern farming techniques, and improved access to quality inputs. This will ensure food security for local consumption, and reduce reliance on imports.
This year’s forum will be supported by a number of high-profile speakers among them the president of the Commercial Farmers Union of Zimbabwe, who is also the keynote speaker, Dr Shadreck Makombe, Agriculture and Rural Development Agency (ARDA) chairman, Ivan Craig, SeedCo Group head of agronomy, Wendy Madzura, Zimplow chief executive, Vimbayi Nyakudya, Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries CEO, Sekai Kuvarika, First Capital Bank CEO Patric Devenish, Cairns Foods chief operating officer Karen Jiri, Glytime foods CEO, Lesley Marange and Zimbabwe Escrow Group CEO, Collen Tapfumaneyi.
Business Weekly Editor Herbert Zharare said; “The current socio-economic environment demands businesses and individuals to think outside the box and play their part as far as propelling the national economy forward is concerned.
“It is against this backdrop that Business Weekly has decided to go beyond the traditional role of writing news to create a platform where minds in different sectors of our economy meet and deliberate on challenges the country faces and proffer possible solutions.
He also said the forum will present a platform to discuss issues and come up with solutions to tackle the hurdles that Zimbabwe faces due to the economic sanctions imposed by the West.
“It is our sincere hope that the Agric Business Forum we are hosting next Friday will be among many such platforms. Our economy is under siege from economic embargoes imposed by the West and we cannot continue signing that same hymn …it is time that we come up with homegrown solutions to some of the challenges we face.
“Today our agriculture suffers a lack of sustainable finance, higher inputs and labour costs, poor mechanisation, unreliable rainy seasons and poor market prices among other challenges. We think the Friday event where agriculture and industry experts meet to share notes on sustainable food systems, agro technologies and the future of the sector is a good starting point,” he said.
Coupled with targeted policies, investments, and collaborative efforts, agri-business can provide avenues for economic empowerment and can become a catalyst for sustainable economic growth.
The forum is expected to be attended by farmers, food processors, input suppliers, bankers, contractors, merchants, researchers, NGOs, academics, and marketers.-herald
