By Derick Tsimba

Today while launching the more than USD 50 million Belarus Mechanisation facility at the Agriculture Engineering Institute at Hatcliffe in Harare, President Emmerson Mnangagwa said improving agriculture production and productivity for national and house hold food remained a top priority for the Second Republic.

The President said, “At this launch of the USD 50 million Belarus Mechanisation facility, I want to express my profound thanks by public appearance to the continued support and investments in the various sectors of the economy notably the agriculture mechanisation programme. As you are aware, improving agriculture production and productivity for national and house hold food security as well as raw materials for industry’s remains a top priority for the second republic.

“As such this event is coming just three months after following my launch of another similar mechanisation facility in July this year. It is indeed a testimony of my administrations resolve to accelerate sustainable modernization and mechanisation of the agricultural sector. Our land mass does not grow, what was a hectare years ago is still a hectare this year.

“What is produced this year through mechanisation is the way to go to make sure the hectare produces more and more,” said the President.

President Mnangagwa also said that Zimbabwe requires more than 40 000 tractors and 600 combine harvesters with the associated matching implements. There is need to cover this gap to local farmers that my Government engaged the Belarus Government to establish the facility we are launching today, said the President.

Today we are seeing the actualisation of our mantra Zimbabwe is open for business, he said.