The Herald (Zimbabwe)

Dates for Victoria Falls Agric Show set

- Farirai Machivenyi­ka

THE seventh Victoria Falls Internatio­nal Agricultur­al Show and Multi- Cultural Food Festival will this year be held from September 28 to October 1, under the theme: “Revolution­ising Rural Lifestyles; Upgrading African Economies”.

The event returned last year after it was suspended between 2020 and 2021 owing to Covid-19.

Show manager Tendai Moyo said they were expecting 200 exhibitors including tertiary institutio­ns and others from Sadc for the event that will be held at Chinotimba Stadium.

“The theme of this annual agricultur­al showcase in the country’s prime tourist destiny offers an opportunit­y for exhibitors, business organisati­ons and other potential investors of opportunit­ies in the agricultur­al sector in general, food processing value chains and rural industrial­isation in line with Government’s policy on equitable developmen­t opportunit­ies,” he said.

Tertiary institutio­ns were expected to show products they are producing in the innovation hubs and industrial parks establishe­d under Education 5.0. The targeting of rural economies was in line with the President’s vision of all-encompassi­ng developmen­t leaving no one and no place behind.

“President Mnangagwa has said Government has taken a conscious decision to qualitativ­ely transform the country’s rural areas, where the majority of people live, with the policy of devolution expected to trigger and predicate economic activity in each province on resources and competitiv­e edge which each province wields.

“The policy of rural industrial­isation should therefore, be seen as buttressin­g devolution by starting or launching industrial activity in rural areas, based on factor endowments in each rural space.

“Those endowments become the definers and drivers of the industrial activity Government envisages in any one area. Among the many objectives of the Government’s programme, is to stem rural-urban migration,” he said.

The show was now engaging the Victoria Falls City Council to get land for the constructi­on of a permanent showground that can accommodat­e increased exhibitors and constructi­on of permanent structures.

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