Zimbabwe working towards its own food security

For a while now, Zimbabwe seems to be one of the few African countries working seriously towards its food security. While most African goverments, even in spite of the persistent geopolitical warring situation, still prefer spending their budget on importing grains and wheat from Russia and Ukraine. In a sharp contrast, Zimbabwe concentrates on supporting its local farmers with the primary aim of increasing signicantly its agricultural production. Our research shows that Zimbabwe has recorded its highest wheat harvest last agricultural production year. According to Agricultural and Rural Development Advisory Services, Zimbabwe emerges as one of the few African countries which have adopted an import substitution agricultural policy and strategically working for self-su ciency.

On January 30, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, paid a working visit to hand over in a special ceremony Belarusian agricultural vehicles, tractors and equipment to President Emmerson Mnangagwa in Harare, Zimbabwe.

"First of all, I want to thank the Americans and the entire Western world for having imposed sanctions against us. Otherwise, American and German tractors would have come instead of Belarusian ones to this huge eld," Lukashenko said.

On this view, Zimbabwe is an African country that has been under Western sanctions for 25

By Kestér Kenn Klomegâh

much-needed machinery and other inputs from driving agriculture. The Belarusian leader noted that in Zimbabwe there are the friends of Belarus, with whom Minsk is building cooperation for the sake of achieving the common good.

Some experts and international organizations have also expressed the fact that African leaders have to adopt import substitution mechanisms and use their nancial resources to strengthen agricultural production systems. Establishing food security is important for millions of people facing hunger in Africa and is crucial for sustainable economic development and the long-term prosperity of the continent. Addressing food security, therefore, is a primary key for a rising Zimbabwe.

After years of negotiations, Zimbabwe nally recieved its US$58 million farm mechanization facility from Belarus, while another deal worth US$100 million signed, according reports from the Zimbabwe's presidency in Harare.

Zimbabwe and Belarus agreed on assembling 3000 tractors, agreed on the supply to Zimbabwe di erent kinds of machinery and equipment made in Belarus for agriculture and timber industry. Both have further agreed to establish a mechanization programme for the farming and timber industries. It provides for over 800 units of equipment to be delivered in two batches. These include among others: 60 self-propelled grain drills, 474 tractors of di erent power capacities, fth wheel trucks with semi-trailers for transportation of heavy equipment and four dump trucks. The agreement makes provision for other equipment such as six semi-trailers with hydraulic manipulator for transportation of construction machinery, 10 drop-side trucks, re ghting equipment critical in forest business, cities and other communities and emergency rescue operations. The equipment also includes 30 motorcycles and a complete set of spare parts for every type of machinery and equipment delivered.

Zimbabwe has been looking foreign partners from other countries to transfer technology and industrialize its ailing economy.

The report said that the Government had launched a similar facility from a U.S. company, John Deere, estimated at US$50 million intended to boost agricultural production. Negotiations are also underway with Chinese manufacturers to set up bus assembling plants locally after government recently procured buses from the Asian country.

Zimbabwe and Belarus o cials noted that the unique relationship would help in technical skills transfer and transform agricultural sector in Zimbabwe. "The implementation of the project involves an approach that includes not only full responsibility regarding warranty and service support, provision of spare parts, training of local specialists, but also providing advanced technologies, comprehensive decisions and solutions in agriculture for every agricultural period from cultivation, seeding, irrigation, planting to crop harvesting," according to the report from the Zimbabwe's Ministry of Agriculture.

In addition to the statement, the Belarus cooperation deal and the commissioned John Deere project for the supply of agriculture mechanization equipment were a culmination of the re-engagement policy of President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

The principle for re-engagement and engagement is open to all the countries in the world. Zimbabwe is ready to cooperate in business with external countries and for the bene t of the people. President Mnangagwa has reiterated that Zimbabwe is open for business. Mnangagwa's previous working visits to Minsk has helped to break barriers that have impeded progress in its economic diplomacy and to seek an increased business cooperation with Belarus, an ex-Soviet republic and a member of the Eurasian Economic Union. The member of the Eurasian Economic Union are Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Russia. Zimbabwe is a landlocked country in southern Africa. Mineral exports, gold, agriculture, and tourism are the main foreign currency earners of this country. The mining sector remains very lucrative. Its commercial farming sector is traditionally another