Bulawayo, (New Ziana)-The Zimbabwe government has launched an innovative initiative to attract investors and Diasporans to develop village business units (VBUs) in rural areas.
Addressing the media on Thursday, permanent secretary Prof Obert Jiri said the initiative will assist in unlocking the potential of rural development across the country. “There are vast opportunities available in rural areas,” he said.
He said despite the country’s vast agricultural potential, rural areas lack the necessary investment to unlock their productivity, adding that the Ministry is calling on investors and Diasporans to take advantage of the available land and labour in those areas.
“By investing in village business units, investors can tap into the local market, as well as aggregate to district, provincial, and national markets,” he said. Additionally, Jiri said there is a growing appetite for Zimbabwean agricultural products in the Middle East, providing a lucrative export market for investors.
He added that to facilitate investment, his Ministry has established the Vision Incubator model under The Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (ARDA), which provides a safe and secure vehicle for investors.
“The Ministry will soon roll out advertisements for parcels of land available in Village Business Units, Irrigation Scheme Units, and other land processed by ARDA. This innovative approach is expected to unlock the potential of rural areas and drive economic growth,” said Prof Jiri.
The country has approximately 460 irrigation schemes, covering 26 000 hectares which can be converted to irrigatable land, many of which are in varying states of disrepair and require rehabilitation.
In addition, the government also requires US$49 million to rehabilitate 40 irrigation schemes and restore 10 000 hectares of land to productive use. So far, the government has rehabilitated 334 business units which are now functional and available.
New Ziana
