Sweet potato export initiative a shot in the arm for women

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By Elvis Dumba

Raffingora – Rural women from three provinces are set to benefit from the government sweet potato export initiative with Zvimba women undergoing sweet potato farming training.

The government through the Ministry of Agriculture signed an agreement with a local company, Fuchs, which will see the company train rural women from Mashonaland West, Mashonaland East, and Matebeleland North in sweet potato farming for export.

Zvimba North Constituency legislator Marian Chombo said the government of President Emerson Mnangagwa is focused on ensuring that the country attains a middle-income economy status by 2030.

“President Emerson Mnangagwa wants everyone to be financially stable and empowered. That’s why you are seeing him bringing various empowerment projects for you. Sweet potato farming project is one of the many projects lined up by our government to uplift the welfare of our people and whilst increasing food security at the household level, you will be getting forex through exports of your produce,” she said during a training of about 500 women in Raffingora recently.

Farai Mazuru, the National Chairperson of Tubers Recovery Plan in the Ministry of Agriculture’s Department of Research Services said a memorandum of agreement was reached signed between the government and Fuchs.

“An MOU between government and Fuchs will see Fuchs offer technical support for farmers in sweet potato farming that includes training, supply of the seeds as well as facilitating export markets. The project is aiming to contract 5 000 people in sweet potato farming,” he said

Various women drawn from various communities such as Yomba, Katawa, and Mapondo thanked the local member of parliament for initiating the project.