Zicosu students seek dialogue with Mnangagwa

Tertiary students under the Zimbabwe Congress of Students' Union (Zicosu) have expressed strong interest in visiting President Emmerson Mnangagwa at his Pricabe Farm in Sherwood, Kwekwe, to gain insights into his leadership style and innovations in modern agriculture.

The request was made during a one-day strategic seminar held at Bulawayo Polytechnic, jointly organised by Zicosu and the Zanu-PF Youth League. The seminar, themed "Sustainable Tourism: Equipping Hospitality Students for Leadership in a Vision 2030 Economy," aimed to equip hospitality students with leadership skills and expose them to opportunities within Zimbabwe's economic transformation agenda.

On the sidelines, Zicosu national president Kudzai Murombedzi appealed to Tourism and Hospitality Industry Deputy Minister Tongai Mnangagwa to facilitate a visit to the President's model farm. "As students, we desire to have a dialogue with President Mnangagwa at his unique farm to learn about new high technology in agriculture. We can only deepen our understanding of his leadership philosophy and innovation by sitting down with him on the farm," Murombedzi said.

Deputy Minister Mnangagwa pledged to support the request, noting the importance of linking students with national leadership. "I will facilitate that meeting so students can learn from someone with experience and knowledge," he said.

Pricabe Farm has become a leading showcase of smart agriculture, incorporating advanced technologies such as big data, IoT, and cloud computing for monitoring, automation, and precision analysis of farming operations. The farm, located in Sherwood — a region redistributed under Zimbabwe's Land Reform Programme — is home to 45 resettled A2 farmers, including the First Family.

President Mnangagwa has transformed the farm into a highly mechanised and productive operation, boasting over 2,000 cattle, 400 goats, poultry, and fish projects, achieving yields nearly 10 times greater than those of the previous owner. The farm also prioritises worker welfare, providing regular meat supplies for staff and their families.

Over the years, Pricabe Farm has attracted visits from heads of state, ministers, parliamentarians, and interest groups, establishing itself as a model of agricultural innovation and productivity.