The Sunday News
Limukani Ncube
THE country’s economic blueprint, National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) says because of the economic crisis experienced during the period 2000 – 2010, the Zimbabwean economy underwent major structural regression characterised by deindustrialisation and informalisation.
The economic challenges disrupted the previously strong primary- secondary sector value chains, thereby making the country highly dependent on imports for semi and finished goods, according to a government presentation of NDS1, Structural transformations and value chains.
“As a result, the increased reliance on primary commodities exposed the economy to the vagaries of the international commodity markets, and the difficult operating environment also led to some companies to either close down or relocate to the capital. Consequently, there has been high de-industrialisation and under development in other towns and rural areas, despite having natural resource endowments that form the critical throughput in the processing industries.”
In order to bring the situation back to normalcy, the Government, under President Mnangagwa has sought to expedite rural industrialisation, and one quick win is through value addition to local resources. According to the NDS1, the key link to structural transformation is value addition and beneficiation of agriculture and mining products. Priority is to develop and strengthen already existing value chains, beneficiation of minerals and in the process promoting linkages of the Small and Medium Enterprises with large corporates.
“The strategy will also prioritise decentralisation of industrialisation initiatives in line with the policy thrust of Devolution and Decentralisation. Value addition and beneficiation industries will be located in specific provinces and districts where the endowments are located.”
National outcomes expected are improved value addition, improved contribution of manufacturing to the Gross Domestic Product, improved contribution of value-added exports to total exports, improved earnings from beneficiated minerals, improved earnings from trade in goods and services and improved competitiveness.
“During NDS1 period (2021–2025), the broad objective is to rebalance the economy and reverse the structural regression. The goal is to gradually improve the contribution of the secondary sector to GDP from 10.6% in 2020 to about 15% by 2025 and the contribution of value-added exports to total exports from US$ 727.47 million in 2020 to US$ 1337.08 million in 2025.”
According to the document, quick win value chains for implementation are agro-based value chain, pharmaceutical value chain, bus and truck assembly value chain, iron and steel and general engineering value chain as well as plastic waste value chain. Work is also being done to get maximum value from the mineral beneficiation. In line with the
Devolution agenda, priority in the SMEs sector to improve the rural economy will be based on provinces’ comparative advantages.
To walk the talk, President Mnangagwa has already commissioned the Mapfura/Marula/ Umganu value-addition project in Rutenga Growth Point, Masvingo province. The plant is a National Biotechnology Authority project to value-add to Indigenous Knowledge Systems. In Manicaland, government is carrying out research aimed at creating a fruit processing plant in Chimanimani as part of its efforts to industrialise rural areas.
According to media reports, the project aims to add value to the knowledge that has existed in local communities since time immemorial and make use of resources that are being underutilised. Mapfura/Marula/Umganu fruit has been used in brewing the mapfura wine which is the modified version of the famous Mukumbi (umkumbi) beer that has been brewed by the country’s forefathers.
National Biotechnology Authority scientists improved the traditional beer, making it suitable and appealing to a larger market size thereby increasing its market value. The use of natural resources will increase exports and inflows of foreign currency into the country. Experts say the value addition chain will improve biomass utilisation and reduce environmental pollution. The nuts (inkelo) which are leftovers from the fermentation of the beer from amaganu, will be pressed for oil. The oil will be used in cosmetics as a topical tissue oil to reduce intensity of blemishes, moisturising and nourishing the skin. It can also be used in the hair to prevent hair breakage and protect the scalp.
The marula tree has empowered people from various parts of the country. In Matabeleland South, value addition to the tree has changed people’s lives as well. Vusanani co-operative group, at Natane Ward in the Molongwa area of Bulilima district is also tapping into the benefits of the marula tree. The local community now enjoys the benefits of conserving its trees and other natural resources.
A news crew visited the area and gathered that a gift of marula nuts is a sign of friendship. In addition, people often gather around the large marula tree for meetings and other rituals, signifying its cultural significance. While people appreciate the tree for its shade and beauty, it also supplies valuable food and provides a supplement to farmer incomes. Judith Ncube, chairperson of the Vusanani Women’s Club at Natane said the marula fruit, popularly known as ‘inkelo’ in the area, and its by products was improving their lives.
“Ever since we started the project in 2010, our lives have changed a lot,” she told our sister paper, Chronicle. “Many of us are sending children to school from sales of marula products we make here at our plant. We are making marula jam, oil and peanut butter and when we sell, we make money to buy food, send our children to school and to buy goats and cattle.”
The group has 10 women who harvest and process amarula to produce oil, jam and peanut butter. The group buys a cup of marula seed for US$1 and then uses an oil pressing machine to produce oil. About 10 litres of oil is produced per week which they sell to pharmacists and other customers locally, in South Africa, Botswana and the UK. They package the marula oil in 50ml or 100ml bottles which they sell for US$3 and US$6 respectively.
“Marula oil is good for skincare,” said Ncube, displaying her marketing skills. “It’s quite good for moisturising, healing and revitalising your skin. We have buyers from South Africa, Botswana and the UK who like the oil. It’s the same as coconut or other traditional oils. It is good for treating ringworms, for massage and has vitamin E.”
In a good month, the group can earn up to US$1 000 which they share or buy cattle for each member to widen their incomes and asset base.
“We can share about US$50 each per month or more or even choose to save and buy cattle for each member in a roundtable way. We now see the value of trees and why we should not destroy them.
“The project has empowered us and we are able to assist our husbands to look after our families. Widows are now able to send their children to school. It’s helping us a lot in terms of job creation and income generation.”
