Story by Stanley James
GOVERNMENT has revealed that the National Development Strategy One (NDS1), Economic Value Chains will this year focus on reindustrialisation, value addition, economic growth, job creation and devolution.
This came out when members of the NDS1 Economic Value Chains thematic working groups, submitted their 2024 plans to Government this Wednesday.
The working groups from the fields such as leather, cotton, soya, dairy, sugar, fertilizer, pharmaceutical, iron and steel as well as transport reviewed the NDS1 strides on economic development this Wednesday.
In his keynote address, the chief secretary to the president and cabinet, Dr Martin Rushwaya who was represented by his deputy responsible for Policy Analysis, Coordination and Development Planning, Mr Willard Manungo directed the thematic working groups to implement set objectives.
“The domestication of value chains is key to structural transformation as envisaged in NDS1, we must transition from low productivity and labour-intensive economic activities that are more dependent on linkages. We should ensure that we transfer our comparative advantage from primary sector industries that can only extract and supply raw materials to become manufacturers of finished products, thus moving the economy up the value chain in line with NDS1. It is therefore vital to create a conducive environment for these partnerships to thrive.
By working together as a thematic group, we can ensure better coordination and more effective implementation of our development initiatives. We need to encourage economic diversification by transitioning away from dependence on few commodities towards a broader range of sources of production, trade and revenues.”
Members of the thematic working groups pledged support to the success of the NDS1.
“As Buy Zimbabwe the thrust is all about consolidating industry gains taking into account the current gains and looking at how they can be sustained given the fact that local production has been on an upward trajectory the move has eased dependency on imports thereby boosting sales and viability of local firms and creating jobs,” said Buy Zimbabwe Chairperson, Mr. Munyaradzi Hwengwere.
Livestock and Meat Advisory Council Administrator, Mr Renneth Mano said, “As a working group on livestock it is imperative to note that the entire value chain is growing leading to reduced imports what we now need to do is just to tap emerging regional markets and position our self in a manner that guarantees self-reliance.”
The working groups are also expected to submit their progress reports to the government thereby providing a platform to identify the success and challenges and facilitate the realisation of overall socio-economic development.
