On Wednesday, youths from across the country gathered at the Agriculture Mechanisation and Engineering Workshop in Harare to receive the farming equipment, secured under the Zimbabwe-Belarus Mechanisation Programme. The initiative is aimed at equipping young farmers to play a central role in national food production and economic transformation.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Dr. Anxious Masuka, emphasized the President’s commitment to agricultural development.
“The President is leading by example as a farmer himself. He wants to see youths driving agricultural productivity, rural development, and industrialization. These 72 tractors and two combine harvesters are part of his Vision 2030 strategy. They are not a charitable giveaway, but a call for youths to contribute to the national transformative agenda,” Dr. Masuka said.
To facilitate accessibility, President Mnangagwa has already paid the initial deposit, enabling the release of the machinery to youths in all districts, with the beneficiaries responsible for paying the remaining balance.
Minister of Youth Empowerment, Development and Vocational Training, Honourable Tino Machakaire, urged young farmers to utilize the equipment efficiently for maximum production.
“I urge all youths to put these tractors to productive use. The President has already covered 50% of the cost, and the remaining half will be covered by the beneficiaries,” Minister Machakaire stated.
The initiative was met with enthusiasm from the young farmers, who pledged to use the equipment to enhance agricultural output and contribute to the country’s Vision 2030 goals.
“The President keeps empowering us. Last week, he launched a Youth Empowerment Fund worth US$7 million, and now he has paid a deposit for tractors and harvesters. We will not let him down,” said ZANU PF Midlands Provincial Youth Chairperson, Cde Ernest Dzoro.
ZANU PF Harare Provincial Youth Chairperson, Cde Emmanuel Mahachi, added that the mechanization support would create jobs and boost food security, particularly for urban youth involved in agriculture.
The handover of the machinery comes at a strategic time as the country prepares for the winter wheat cropping season, reinforcing Zimbabwe’s push for agricultural self-sufficiency and rural industrialization.
The Presidential Youth Empowerment Fund, launched last month, further cements the government’s commitment to ensuring young Zimbabweans have access to resources for income-generating projects and national development.
