Agriculture important for employment creation

Harare - Agriculture has the capacity to turn around the country's economy by creating employment to young people and boost food security if farmers are given enough financial and moral support by government and the corporate world, Agriculture, Mechanisation and Irrigation Development Deputy Minister responsible for Livestock, Paddy Zhanda has said.

Speaking at the official launch of the Federation of Young Farmers Club (FYFC) in Harare on recently, Zhanda said it was important to create an financial institution that support farmer grow grass root level to ensure sustainability.

"Agriculture is a necessity to the elimination of poverty and as we are launching this young people's initiative it is important that we support them from the very moment they start and this will guarantee a turnaround to our food security and Zimbabwe can once again a bread basket for Africa, said Zhanda.

He encouraged young farmers to soldier on in the field citing that there should be patient enough for them to reap good results and should have passion for farming.

"Farming demands a lot of training and passion, once you are not able to execute vocational training assignments properly you are not supposed to be a farmer, do not be the jack of all trades but masters of none, you need to take farming serious and you have to sweat in order to produce good results."

He advised the new generation of farmer to desist from side marketing and acquire proper documents for them to market their crops and produce reasonable returns.

Minister Zhanda said government was concerned about contracting companies who are exploiting farmers and at the end they do not get anything from their sweat.

"Access to markets to ready markets has proved to be a difficult to many framers but as government we are really worried about contracting companies who are short changing our farmers by offering low prices at the expense of their hard work, said Zhanda

The FYFC is an association that offer opportunities for youths in Zimbabwe interested to take agriculture as a viable option for employment but help develop life skills for sustainable development and self-sustenance.