ZimTrade capacitates small holder farmers

ZimTrade today launched the Horticulture Export Master Class 2023 programme aimed at capacitating local farmers with expertise to unlock access to lucrative international markets.

Increasing horticultural production through value addition and beneficiation is in line with the National Development Strategy 1 (2021-2025), whose main objective is to structurally transform Zimbabwe’s economy from one highly dependent on the export of agricultural raw materials to an economy trading in high value processed goods.

Speaking during the launch of the programme, ZimTrade chief executive officer Mr Allan Majuru said the programme seeks to bring smallholder farmers into the mainstream export business.

“As a country, we have the Horticulture Recovery and Growth Plan whose main target is to increase exports of horticulture to US$300 million by 2030. So, what we have to do is to capacitate smallholder farmers so that they will also be able to export their products,” said Mr Majuru.

“What we are going to do during this training programme is that we are going to assist smallholder farmers on the production side so that they can improve on quality and yield per hectare so that they can become competitive.”

ZimTrade will run the programme with support from PUM, Netherlands and CBZ Holdings and the programme will cover all provinces.

Last year, the Government launched the US$30 million horticulture revolving fund to capacitate local farmers in boosting production and tackling challenges related to the unavailability of appropriately structured financing for short to long-term expenditures.

The fund is expected to drive enhanced value addition and beneficiation of fresh produce, which will in turn strengthen Zimbabwe’s exports of horticultural produce.-chronicle