Arda seeks partners to revive estates

27 Apr, 2014 - 00:04 0 Views

The Sunday News

Ngonidzashe Chiutsi Agriculture Correspondent
THE Agricultural and Rural Development Authority (Arda) says there was a positive response by companies to a tender floated inviting businesses for joint ventures at some of its estates that have been lying idle.
In an interview last week, Arda Jotsholo Estate manager Mr Ndodana Sibanda said in the next two weeks, the parastatal would invite those that responded to the tender for assessment.

“People responded well to the tender that we advertised and, within two weeks, we will be able to call them to present their write-ups, do a practical presentation and demonstrate what they are going to do per estate. For example if someone applied for Antelope Estate he or she is going to say, this is what I am going to do. We would want to know whether what the person is saying is really feasible,” said Mr Sibanda.

He said Arda was facing financial challenges and was seeking public-private partnerships to revive its estates.

“As Arda we have the resources in terms of land, infrastructure development like dams, buildings and irrigation although it needs some rehabilitation. We have made some investments in that land. However, we are facing capital problems and we would want private investors,” said the official.

Arda’s estates are situated in Manicaland Province where there is the Chisumbanje and Middle Sabi Estates in Chipinge South with sugarcane plantations for ethanol production, Katiyo Estates in Honde Valley, and Kairezi Estates in Nyanga for timber and limited potato seed production.

The parastatal also owns the Balu Estate in Bulawayo.
In the Midlands Province there is soyabeans production while in Mashonaland Province the company does cattle production and crop farming.

In Masvingo Province, Arda owns a lodge in Save Valley Conservancy and in Matabeleland Province, Arda is into livestock rearing, mainly cattle breeding.

The parastatal has 21 farms with 98 000 hectares of arable land with an irrigable capacity of 19 000 hectares.

Reports say out of the 21 Arda farms, Chisumbanje Estate is the most productive and viable estate.

 

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