Sadc gives thumbs up to Zim facilities
THE Southern African Development Community Preparatory Mission that is in the country to assess the preparations for the 44th SADC Heads of State and Government summit that Zimbabwe will host in August, yesterday endorsed the new Parliament Building in Mount Hampden as the main venue of the event after they were impressed by the facilities.
The mission, led by SADC Deputy Secretary, Corporate Affairs, Dr Judith Kateera, expressed their satisfaction with the new Parliament after a two-hour tour of the building which was officially opened last year.
“We had a very good tour for almost two hours, we went round to inspect the entire complex, it’s a deeply majestic building that we appreciate very much. We have identified the place where we will have the official opening of the summit and also the closing ceremony. There are rooms that are available for our Heads of State to have their holding rooms, the places where they are going to have their meals and so forth.
“The secretariat will also have a dedicated place for their documentation and preparation of everything to facilitate the smooth running of the summit.
“So, in a nutshell we are very happy, and also on the health side, the medical side, we inspected the rooms to deal with any emergencies that may arise during the Summit so we are very happy,”she said.
Dr Kateera said they would also visit hotels that would accommodate delegates to check whether they meet the required SADC standards including the nature of assistance that is required for those hotels that fail to meet the set standards.
The mission will also visit the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport to check on the security from the airport to the hotels and will also tour the Museum of African Liberation currently under construction. The team will end its assessment tomorrow. Zimbabwe will take over the chairmanship of SADC from Angola during the summit and will have an opportunity to present reports on the state of preparedness towards hosting the summit.
THE Zimbabwe-Zambia Young Agropreneur Food Fair, which seeks to facilitate links between young farmers and global trade platforms and agricultural value chains, opened yesterday.
The two-day event being held at a hotel in Harare was organised by the Zunde Group in partnership with Federation of Young Farmers Clubs Zimbabwe (FYFCZ).
The event is also supported by HIVOS, Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation, the Government of Zimbabwe, Old Mutual, Kutsaga, Naturday, OWIT, Ecocash and other key stakeholders.
The fair aims to create a platform for young farmers in Zimbabwe and Zambia to showcase their innovations, products, knowledge sharing, as well as establish and build viable trade links.
Zunde Group chief executive Mr Percy Mbedzi said the primary objective of the event was to promote and recognise the efforts of young farmers and agricultural entrepreneurs in Zimbabwe and Zambia who are contributing to the agricultural sector’s growth and development, to facilitate networking and collaboration among them and with policymakers, investors, and other stakeholders, resulting in the creation of new trading links and partnerships.
“We want to create trading links and partnerships among these young agricultural entrepreneurs, leading to market expansion and increased collaboration,” he said.”
“Additionally, we aim to enhance their knowledge and skills by sharing best practices, innovative techniques, and sustainable farming methods.
“Access to funding solutions and investment opportunities is also a crucial aspect we want to address. Lastly, we seek to strengthen the network among participants, fostering continued support, mentorship, and knowledge sharing beyond the event. The fair will also provide a platform for young entrepreneurs to access investment opportunities and funding solutions to the financial challenges they face.”
FYFCZ chief executive Mr Edwin Tafadzwa Kudanga said they had a mandate of creating a pool of opportunities for young farmers through the network itself and through partners. “The food fair is one such networking platforms that the federation supports to ensure we expose our members to international best practices,” he said.
“As the federation, our support stretches to areas such as access to land through joint venture arrangements and options to purchase legitimate and carefully vetted private pieces of land, access to markets both local and international, access to funding and financial products such as start-up capital, irrigation expansion and mechanisation on flexible terms,” said Mr Kudanga.
The Zimbabwe-Zambia Young Farmers Food Fair will comprise of three components: a conference, exhibition and an investment pitch section.