By Agriculture Reporter
Agriculture has improved livelihoods in Masvingo Province, with the young people vesting their interests in production projects, Harare Post has learnt.
In an interview during an ongoing capacity building workshop in Gutu, the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Resettlement Youth Desk Coordinator, Nickros Kajengo, highlighted that agricultural programmes were receiving overwhelming support from young people in that province.
“We have observed the trend not only in Masvingo Province, but across the country. Young people are heeding the call that they should be drivers of the economy through adding value to production. Many young people are graduates and are no longer bothered in looking for employment, but they are creating employment themselves,” said Kajengo.
He applauded Government for its efforts in supporting the young farmers. Kajengo reiterated that his Ministry was partnering with other Non-Governmental Organisations to enhance youth skills and ensure production.
He said, “This capacity building and training workshop is being supported by captains of industry as part of efforts to help young people. The initiative is a demand-driven programme by people in Masvingo, particularly young people and women.”
One young farmer, Teerai Mugove, revealed to this publication that young people in Masvingo were only concentrating in cross border trading which later exposed them to COVID-19 infections, among other challenges.
“There is a shift in attention from cross border trading to agricultural projects among young people. We have started on nutritional gardens where we are concentrating on horticulture and supplying to local markets. We are looking forward to expanding and exporting to neighbouring countries. We have realized that our survival is in the soil,” said Mugove.
He highlighted that, as young people, they had an advantage of being exposed to technological transformation, in which they are learning new skills through the internet.
Mugove said that a lot was needed to be done to take digital transformation to rural areas as part of efforts to embrace smart agriculture initiatives.
Youth in Agriculture is on a drive to mobilise and encourage young people to be directly involved in production to ensure food security. The initiative has largely received support from Government and other non-State actors.
