Harare, (New Ziana) – In a move aimed at boosting productivity and attracting greater investment in Zimbabwe’s agricultural sector, Cabinet has approved the review of licences, permits, levies and fees related to livestock, dairy farming, and stock-feed sub-sectors.
This announcement was made by the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Dr Jenfan Muswere, during a post-Cabinet media briefing in Harare on Tuesday.
Dr Muswere said the decision followed a directive issued by President Emmerson Mnangagwa last week, in line with the government’s continued drive to improve the ease of doing business across key economic sectors.
“In fulfillment of last week’s Cabinet directive and His Excellency the President’s instruction, Cabinet considered and approved the review of licences, permits, levies and fees, subject to further refinements, in the agriculture sector — focusing on livestock, dairy farming, and stock-feed sub-sectors,” said Dr Muswere.
He said the reforms were part of ongoing efforts to reduce the cost of doing business in Zimbabwe and foster economic growth. The agriculture sector remains a vital pillar of Zimbabwe’s economy, contributing significantly to national food security, employment creation, and foreign exchange earnings.
However, farmers and investors have long complained about the excessive regulatory burden imposed by multiple licences, levies, and fees — many of which are duplicated across agencies and ministries.
The current review will identify, streamline, and eliminate unnecessary costs and bureaucratic bottlenecks, making it easier for players in the livestock and dairy value chains to operate competitively. Government has committed to adopting a participatory approach in refining the licensing framework.
Key stakeholders, including farmers’ unions, dairy associations, veterinary service providers, and private investors, are expected to be consulted to ensure the new fee structures are fair, transparent and supportive of agricultural growth.
The move aligns with the broader aspirations of Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030, which seeks to transform the country into an upper-middle-income economy where agriculture has been identified as one of the primary engines of this vision, especially under the Agriculture and Food Systems Transformation Strategy launched by President Mnangagwa in 2020.
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