Value addition key to rural development, says official

RURAL development in Zimbabwe is taking a significant leap forward, with a focus on value addition and rural industrialisation. The director of rural development in the Ministry of Land, Agriculture, Water, Fisheries and Rural Development Mr Leonard Munamati, emphasisesd that processing raw crops into products is key to transforming livelihoods. “Rural industrialisation is key to transforming livelihoods.

Farmers must see themselves as business people who can process, package, and market their goods locally,” said Mr Munamati Simple technologies like drying, milling, and packaging can turn small harvests into profitable products. Mr Munamati said success stories from Masvingo Province, Zvimba District, and Makonde are already showing the way with wheat farmer processing wheat into bread, sweet potatoes turned into chips and mango farmers producing dried mango chips Value addition increases incomes, creates jobs, and improves rural livelihoods. “It’s time for communities to unlock the full potential of their produce and create value where they grow,” added Mr Munamati.