Harare Agric Show bigger, better

THE much anticipated 2018 Harare Agricultural Show will run from Au­gust 27 to September 1, 2018 at the Zimbabwe Agricultural Society Business Park. 

The Show this year will be held under the theme: “Field to Industry: Produce. Connect. Develop.” 

“As ZAS in order to rally consensus for the cause for accelerating agricultural recovery in Zimbabwe to contribute to eco­nomic prosperity, we saw it fit have an an­nual theme away from a week long theme that we used to have previously,” ZAS chief executive officer Dr Anxious Masuku said. 

The theme emphasises that Zimbabwe is an agro-based economy and for indus­try to tick, there is need for a very strong value chain support between field and the industry. 

“The field produces and supplies indus­try 60 percent of its requirements and in turn industry supplies agriculture with 40 percent of its consumption, but that field is slightly different from the ordinary field. this field is a more holistic, the top 45 cm being the agricultural field and below it the minerals field, so we are looking at opportu­nities in agriculture and mining, unearthed to build strong industries with industry to rapidly ensure economic development,” he said. 

Established in 1895, ZAS is the epi­centre for the promotion and facilitation of national agricultural development. Additionally, it is the oldest convenor and host of agricultural, commercial and industrial shows in Zimbabwe.

At least 250 000 visitors are expected this year up from 200 000 last year.

There were 503 exhibitors last year, but expectations are high that the number will increase this year. 

“We are transforming the Harare Show from a display platform to an opportunities platform so that exhibitors connect with their customers and their markets, they will be able to do research and launch prod­ucts,” Masuku said. 

Meanwhile, ZAS, working with The Fi­nancial Gazette will this year unveil a 2018 Agricultural Sector Survey to equip the in­dustry with an up to date planning tool. 

“Our mandate is to promote agriculture and it’s supporting activities and to facili­tate agricultural development in Zimbabwe and this places ZAS at the epicentre for the facilitation of agricultural development in the country. 

“To be authoritative in doing this, we need, as a planning tool objective param­eters for developing agriculture and a sur­vey that cuts across all the sub-sectors of agriculture will enable us to produce in one document an up to date state of affairs of agriculture which can be a useful poli­cy and a planning tool that can be used by farmers to benchmark production and be the basis of catalysing production in Zim­babwe,” Masuku said.