Harare, (New Ziana) – The success of the tobacco industry in Zimbabwe should be replicated in other sectors for the country to achieve its vision of becoming an upper middle income by 2030, a Cabinet Minister said on Thursday.
Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Minister Anxious Masuka said this at the Kutsaga 75th anniversary research symposium, which was held at the University of Zimbabwe.
He said the tobacco value chain transformation plan, which is industry-led and government-facilitated, targeted to increase tobacco production to 300 million kilograms this year, increase value addition to 30 percent, localize tobacco financing, as well as seek alternative crops to tobacco to mitigate risk.
“These are at various stages of implementation. A record tobacco crop is expected this year. Farmers will earn over US$1 billion, making them upper-middle-income earners. This also attests to the success of the land reform program,” he said.
The symposium, held under the theme ‘Beyond 75 Years, Kutsaga Innovation and Agricultural Excellency in the Next 25 Years,’ featured high-level presentations, exhibitions, and leadership sessions showcasing cutting-edge solutions in smart-climate agriculture and innovation.
Dr Masuka said the theme dovetailed with the massive growth that has been witnessed in tobacco farming in recent years.
“This year’s theme is both relevant and appropriate as innovative and insightful research, and technology transfer have undergirded the growth and transformation of the tobacco sector. Kutsaga has been the primary cause of the success of the tobacco industry,” he said.
“Hindsight, generally, does not provide foresight, but in terms of research and development, this reflection must spur innovation and motivate us to confront current and future challenges with confidence,” he added.
He said in the face of challenges faced in the tobacco sector, Kutsaga has been cultivating a dynamic talent base for strategic anticipation and to proactively respond to the challenges.
“Since the Tobacco Research Board’s establishment, each generation of leadership has faced difficult and seemingly insurmountable challenges but with courage, resilience, persistence, perseverance and collective leadership, those challenges, be they financial, operational, land reform, changing grower patterns, markets, anti-tobacco lobby, traceability, sustainability and climate change, were overcome. This attitude and mindset has been part of Kutsaga DNA,” he said.
New Ziana
