By Rungano Dzikira

Zimbabwe’s trade promotion and development agency, Zimtrade, has engaged Manicaland farmers in export farming as it intensifies its efforts to energize agricultural exports in the country to compete with the regional market.

Speaking during a four day workshop to train farmers, Zimtrade Export Development Manager, Tendai Marume said, “Knowledge transfer is crucial in increasing Zimbabwe’s exports and this workshop will equip  farmers in Manicaland on seven value chains that is sweet potatoes, bananas, avocados, macadamia, floriculture, paprika and pineapple.”

“Only last week our team engaged smallholder irrigation farmers in Bubi District who are working with Apt Zimbabwe under contract farming for chilies export. The global market for chilies was US$5.58 billion in 2018 and is going up; hence the Zimbabwean market also needs to tap into it.”

Zimtrade added that there was need to continue improving the export climate in the country and has since made strides towards synergizing efforts from different sectors and incorporate different stakeholders in order to achieve significant export growth.

“We are working with sector associations on developing the capacity of their members to compete on the export market. We completed our training on SMEs and have since moved to farmers,” Marume added.  

In an effort to rebut these efforts, Zimtrade will this October 2019 hold a Exporters’ Conference and Exporter of the Year Awards in Bulawayo were they expect to network, share ideas and discuss solutions to drive Zimbabwe’s exports.