Farai Mabeza
Zimbabwe is intensifying its push towards industrialisation by leveraging strong linkages between the manufacturing, agriculture and mining sectors, with President Emmerson Mnangagwa saying the country’s economic transformation agenda is now firmly centred on value addition, beneficiation and job creation.
Speaking during the commissioning of Varun Beverages Zimbabwe’s new snack manufacturing plant and the foundation stone laying ceremony for a juice and dairy blending facility, President Mnangagwa said the manufacturing sector is poised to drive growth as Government accelerates policies aimed at boosting local production, industrial modernisation and private sector investment.
“Emphasis continues to be on domestic value addition and beneficiation, increased productivity, as well as the prioritisation of job creation and diversification,” said President Mnangagwa.
He noted that the manufacturing sector is expected to play a leading role in this transformation, with projected growth of 3.4 percent driven by strong linkages with agriculture and mining.
“The manufacturing sector is expected to anchor this thrust through a projected growth of 3.4%. This is primarily driven by strong linkages with agriculture and mining, while capacity utilisation is now surging beyond 60%,” he said.
President Mnangagwa said Government is actively supporting industry through targeted interventions aimed at boosting productivity and competitiveness.
“In view of the strategic importance of the sector, Government has set aside resources to support re-tooling, industrial modernisation and working capital requirements for industry, as well as improving the prevailing policy environment,” he said.
The Head of State reiterated Government’s commitment to creating an investor-friendly climate that encourages local production, import substitution and the growth of value chains across key sectors of the economy.
“My Government remains steadfast in its commitment to fostering an investor-friendly environment, promoting local manufacturing and import substitution, as well as advancing value chain development,” he said.
President Mnangagwa also pledged continued engagement with the private sector to unlock investment opportunities and improve the ease of doing business in Zimbabwe.
“My Government stands ready to refine the ease of doing business and partner with the private sector to unlock the full potential of our economy,” he said.
In a move aimed at reducing the cost of doing business, the President revealed that Cabinet had approved sweeping reductions in regulatory fees, licences and compliance costs affecting several sectors.
“In this regard, yesterday, Cabinet approved the slashing of numerous regulatory fees, licences and compliance costs, including those related to manufacturing, financial, real estate and health care sectors,” he said.
“My Administration shall not hesitate to take bold decisions towards stimulating investment, multi-pronged industrial growth, job creation and broad based empowerment that benefit our nation and people, as a whole.”
President Mnangagwa described Varun Beverages Zimbabwe’s latest investments as a key contribution to the country’s industrialisation and value addition agenda, particularly in the dairy and fruit processing sectors.
“Today, I have laid the Foundation Stone for the new juice and dairy blend production facility of Varun Beverages Zimbabwe. This forward-looking investment will broaden the foot-print in the beverage and nutrition segment, through both the dairy and fruit sectors, while generating more downstream economic opportunities,” he said.
The investments are expected to strengthen local supply chains, create employment opportunities and increase demand for locally produced agricultural raw materials, in line with Zimbabwe’s broader industrialisation and economic development strategy.
Zimbabwe’s industrialisation thrust reflects a broader recognition across Africa that long-term economic growth will require greater value addition and local manufacturing. However, this is not a new realisation for many African economies, where industrialisation ambitions have existed for decades. The challenge remains in translating policy commitments into sustained implementation, investment and competitive production capacity.
