By Nobleman Runyanga

The youth should take farming seriously and treat it as a business, Vice President Kembo Mohadi has said.

Addressing the people who gathered today at the Zanu PF National Headquarters for the launch of the special inputs scheme for Youths in Agriculture, the Vice President told the youth to take farming seriously.

“I want you to go into farming as a business so that you can contribute towards the country’s gross domestic product (GDP),” he said.

VP Mohadi reminded the youth that success was never attained overnight and encouraged them to be hands-on in their farming endeavours.

The VP highlighted that going forward, government intended to leverage the country’s vast water resources to unlock its irrigation potential in order to feed the nation, a development which he indicated would involve youths in agriculture.

“We as government intend to exploit the over 10 000 water bodies in Zimbabwe for irrigation purposes and want the youth to be involved (in the project),” he said.

VP Mohadi expressed gratitude to the various companies and financial institutions which were assising youths in agricultre in various ways.

“We thank you very much for coming forward to support our agriculture. We thank you for giving loans to the youths in agriculture,” he said.

He appealed to the companies to go beyond advancing loans and inputs to the youths and provide them with ongoing support.

“You just can’t give them loans and close your doors. You need to carry them with you. You need to nurture them,” he said.

The VP invited the youths in agriculture to communicate their wishes and anxieties to government so that they could be addressed.

The event, which was also attended by the Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement, Retired Chief Air Marshal Perrance Shiri, his Deputy, Vangelis Haritatos, and representatives of various seed houses, was accompanied by a concurrent exhibition were seed companies and other suppliers participated.