This, according to him, could assist the country benefit from participating in the African Continental Free Trade Area through regional value chains.
Find below excerpts of the interview:
MN:What strategies have ZimTrade been deploying to boost exports?
AM:Our mandate is to energise exports.
We have been doing that through our value-added services, which include provision of market intelligence, capacity development, export promotion and advocacy.
ZimTrade has a mandate to energise Zimbabwe’s exports, and this mandate has been achieved by our export development, export promotion, advocacy and market information functions.
These activities, coupled with the support of other government institutions aiming to grow the visibility of Zimbabwean products and services saw us achieving key milestones as a country, like the US$6 billion in 2021, which was the highest ever recorded figure.
Our interventions to local companies and communities have yielded positive results for established exporters, as well as potential exporters.
For example, we have established export clusters designed to integrate previously marginalised communities into mainstream export business.
MN:Does this include companies in the agricultural sector?
AM:As the majority of our farmers are smallholder farmers, our focus is to empower them with knowledge and skills to farm products that have an opportunity in export markets, as well as organise them so that they can consolidate and meet growing demand for Zimbabwean horticultural produce and agro-processed products in regional and global markets.
We have also been implementing youth and women focused activities designed to inculcate an export culture among youths.
We have seen lives changed and businesses transformed through the Eagles’ Nest and Next She Exporter programme.
We remain confident that sustained interventions around these areas will go a long way in boosting exports. 🔗
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