by Christopher Makaza
Zimbabwe Farmers Union (ZFU) continues with its endeavour to create a pool of highly energised young leaders who are ready to steer the farming industry towards a smart, sustainable and inclusive future.
To accomplish that mandate, ZFU will, starting today hold a two day youth leadership summit in Gweru whose major objective is to produce wholesome young farmers who are capable improving Zimbabwe`s agricultural sector.
Speaking to Harare Post, ZFU Executive Director, Paul Zacharia highlighted some of the objectives of the summit among them challenging young people in agriculture and agribusiness to dare to lead, instilling the necessary confidence to deal with challenges in the agricultural sector, exploring beneficial networks that will deliver/yield otherwise hidden opportunities and developing a roadmap for sustainable development amongst young farmers.
“The Summit this year will make deliberate attempts to unpack some of the leadership topics without which it will be next to impossible for young people to dare to lead and take full ownership of the courses that take them to their destinies. The leadership challenge, up until now, remains the difference between change and maintaining the status quo,” he said.
“We want our young farmers to be good farm managers with a sound knowledge in leadership skills, who seriously take farming as a business. We are grateful that our Government continue to support farmers, youth included with farming inputs. As you are aware inputs under the Presidential Input Support Scheme are already being distributed and farmers will have ample time to have necessary preparations before rains come,” he added.
These Youth Summits organized by the ZFU since 2013, are annual events meant to motivate and inspire young people engaged in agriculture and its related value chains, to confidently occupy the agri-business space. They also seek to develop positive attitudes and other relevant capacities among young people involved or intending to take up space in the agricultural industry.
