“This is evidence of what strong partnerships can achieve”
Mutoko District, east of the capital Harare, is known for growing varieties of horticultural products. There is a glut of the produce every season, which affects prices and the farmers suffer heavy losses. With ILO support, an anchor enterprise has been established to curtail losses.
HARARE (ILO News) Kirsty Coventry, the Minister of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation could not hide her satisfaction recently touring the Mutoko Royal Fruits and Veggies Private Limited anchor enterprise. This anchor enterprise was commissioned with collecting horticultural produce from surrounding communities to either facilitate access to markets or add value by processing the many fruit varieties and vegetables growing in Mutoko district.
Infrastructure in the form of a refrigerated pack-house, already completed, and a processing factory which is nearing completion, hold great promise to the people of Mutoko. For a long time they have suffered high post-harvest losses, low prices due to localized oversupply and absence of processing facilities to respond to the short shelf life of the produce.
“This is evidence of what strong partnerships can achieve” quipped Minister Coventry, acknowledging that the project in its short and longer term, was responding to the Government’s efforts to create employment for the youth and support local economic development and growth. Her wish is for this model to be replicated in other districts and she made an undertaking to the ILO and the AfDB that she would personally oversee smooth operations of the enterprise.
The anchor enterprise is co-owned by youth organisations, Tabudirira Vocational Training Centre that hosts the enterprise; with the Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation as the host Ministry, providing an oversight role to the strategic and administrative operations of the company.
The ILO is providing technical assistance, with financial support from the Africa Development Bank (AfDB).
This District, of over 650 000 households, as a pilot for anchor enterprises, is expected to set an example to the rest of the country on how communities can pool their efforts and resources together for personal and the common good. It further demonstrates working local economic development.
Infrastructure in the form of a refrigerated pack-house, already completed, and a processing factory which is nearing completion, hold great promise to the people of Mutoko. For a long time they have suffered high post-harvest losses, low prices due to localized oversupply and absence of processing facilities to respond to the short shelf life of the produce.
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“This is evidence of what strong partnerships can achieve” quipped Minister Coventry, acknowledging that the project in its short and longer term, was responding to the Government’s efforts to create employment for the youth and support local economic development and growth. Her wish is for this model to be replicated in other districts and she made an undertaking to the ILO and the AfDB that she would personally oversee smooth operations of the enterprise.
The anchor enterprise is co-owned by youth organisations, Tabudirira Vocational Training Centre that hosts the enterprise; with the Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation as the host Ministry, providing an oversight role to the strategic and administrative operations of the company.
The ILO is providing technical assistance, with financial support from the Africa Development Bank (AfDB).
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This District, of over 650 000 households, as a pilot for anchor enterprises, is expected to set an example to the rest of the country on how communities can pool their efforts and resources together for personal and the common good. It further demonstrates working local economic development.