ZimTrade calls for 2024 Eagles Nest applications

Judith Phiri, Business Reporter 

THE country’s trade development and promotion agency, ZimTrade has said applications for the Eagles Nest Youth Export incubation programme for 2024 are now open and will close on 31 March. 

The Eagle Nest youth export incubation programme was launched in 2020 to inculcate an export culture among youth driven enterprises in the country.

It is premised on the understanding that meaningful trade and economic development require the involvement of under-served groups, particularly young people.

Speaking at a media engagement session on Tuesday, ZimTrade Southern region manager Mrs Jacqueline Nyathi encouraged businesses in the southern part of Zimbabwe to take full advantage of the programme and grow their export businesses. 

“We have already put out a call for applications for the fourth season of the Eagles’ Nest Youth Export Incubation Programme targeted to integrate young people into mainstream export business. Youths who are 35 years old and below, who have business operations can apply.

“Usually, we start off with 100 people who make pitches before a panel of judges and they get screened until we get to a certain number. After the pitches there will be mentorship programmes, technical interventions and learning visits, all that is aimed at preparing for them to export,” she said. 

Zimtrade

She said the programme also strives to ensure that young people are capacitated and able to create sustainable export enterprises that guarantee the future trade success for Zimbabwe.

Mrs Nyathi said for the country’s southern region, this year’s season (2023) they had Comrades Beverages, a Bulawayo-based company which came up as the second runner-up in the competition. 

“The company did exceptionally well, we now know that next year it will be going out into the region and we will assist them market their beverage. As for this coming season we are hoping to get more participants from this side,” said Mrs Nyathi. 

She said some businesses were hesitant, while others pulled out having done pitches and training sessions, missing out on the insightful programme. 

Mrs Nyathi said for 2024 they had a number of training programmes and initiatives lined up to empower exporting businesses in the country. 

She said they will be taking some of the businesses to a number of regional and international trade showcases that include the Fruit Logistica in Germany, Agriculture and Commercial Show in Zambia, DRC-Africa Business Forum in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Global Expo Botswana in Botswana among others. 

“Our participants are selected based on what we find in the market to be doing well. So you will find for instance, in Botswana it’s our building and construction material and processed foods, these we know they will do well in that market. 

“So even the mobilisation of businesses is targeted at the specific needs of a market, when we will be going to Malaysia, we know that they want honey, free produce and organic products. Our events calendar has been concluded, we are just waiting for sign-off from the board,” said Mrs Nyathi.