eBusiness Weekly
Implementation of the best model farm project, a collaboration between ZimTrade and PUM – a Netherlands-based volunteer organisation that promotes horticulture is necessary in boosting the country’s agricultural exports, says ZimTrade chief executive Allan Majuru.
He said this at the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between ZimTrade and PUM last week.
The project will see three medium-sized farms Talana, Lingfield and Gombola from Mashonaland East and West and Midlands Provinces being shortlisted to promote local small scale farmers to focus on growing horticultural products which is necessary in diversifying the agricultural sector and enhancing exports.
Mr Majuru said the project was necessary as it would incorporate a variety of horticulture products which would enable the country to penetrate into the European market.
“We are trying to make sure that we get into sweet potatoes for the model farms but it’s not only about growing, we need to know the varieties to grow, even other sustainable ways of growing blueberries, we have learnt a couple of things for us to be cost effective in terms of growing blueberries,” he said.
Zimbabwe’s trade performance over the years has been characterized by high imports compared to what it exports to other markets, making the country suffer from a trade deficit.
Last year the country exported products worth $4,1 billion against imports of $6,4 billion, recording a trade deficit of $2,3 billion.
Netherlands is rich in agriculture in spite of it being just 10 percent the size of Zimbabwe and the collaboration can open many opportunities for the country’s agricultural sector, which is the backbone of Zimbabwe’s economy.
Its yearly exports for vegetables, fruit, flowers, meat and dairy products is worth $65 billion Euros, making it the world’s second food exporter after the United States.
10 percent of the Netherlands’s GDP is generated from agriculture, using greenhouses for its vast agricultural output.
Netherlands Ambassador to Zimbabwe her Excellency Barbara Van Hellemond said her country was pleased to contribute to sustainable agriculture practices in Zimbabwe in a cost effective way that will help in growing the country’s exports.
“The Netherlands as a nation, is committed to sustainable agriculture with the goal of producing twice as much food using half as many resources.
“Farmers have reduced their dependency on water by as much as 90 percent, and they have almost stopped their use of chemical pesticides in greenhouses.
“It is with all of this in mind that the Netherlands is proud to contribute to sustainable agriculture practices in other countries,” she said.
The ‘best model farm project’ is the second MoU being signed between ZimTrade and PUM, with the first being signed in April 2016.
