Staff Reporter
ZIMBABWE’S traditional cuisine is rapidly emerging as a key driver of tourism and enterprise development. The Gastronomy Hub at the 19th Sanganai/Hlanganani Dzimbahwe Tourism Expo demonstrates how local food can be transformed into viable businesses and sustainable livelihoods.
The initiative, pioneered by the Patron of Tourism, First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, in 2019, has evolved from a culinary competition into a growing economic platform that links communities with farmers, food processors, chefs, restaurants, hotels, and other participants across the tourism value chain.
Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Barbara Rwodzi said that the improvement in the quality, presentation, and overall visitor experience of gastronomy products is evidence that the initiative is having a growing economic impact.
“What we are seeing now is a marked improvement in the quality and presentation of our gastronomy products,” Minister Rwodzi said.
She said the programme is benefiting a broad range of participants, starting with farmers producing seeds, meat, and other ingredients, and extending to processors, chefs, restaurants, hotels, airlines, and recreational parks.
Minister Rwodzi said the progress of the initiative is also reflected in former competition participants who have returned to the expo as established producers and sellers.
She noted that some contestants who participated in the 2022 competitions have successfully turned their participation into businesses, demonstrating gastronomy’s potential to create sustainable livelihoods.
Beyond its economic benefits, the initiative is helping Zimbabwe strengthen its tourism brand by placing indigenous foods at the centre of the visitor experience.
Innovative products such as masawu ice cream and nunguru cakes, along with the distinctive haifiridzi dish, showcase the commercial potential of Zimbabwean cuisine while preserving the country’s culinary identity.
Minister Rwodzi said Zimbabwe is taking its food products to international tourism platforms to promote the “Taste of Zimbabwe.”
She said the country’s competitive advantage lies in the distinctive taste and authenticity of its indigenous cuisine.
This development comes as Zimbabwe continues to position tourism as a major contributor to economic growth under the Heritage-Based Economy and Vision 2030 framework.
As Sanganai/Hlanganani Dzimbahwe is increasingly devolved to provinces, gastronomy is expected to provide more communities with opportunities to participate in tourism through food production, processing, and hospitality.
The initiative is therefore creating a bridge between culture and commerce, turning traditional knowledge and indigenous foods into tourism experiences while opening markets for farmers, entrepreneurs, and hospitality businesses.
For Zimbabwe, gastronomy is no longer just about food.
It is becoming a vehicle for cultural preservation, community empowerment, enterprise development, and destination differentiation as the country seeks to unlock the full economic value of its heritage.
