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Farirai Machivenyika, Harare Bureau

While Zimbabweans were enjoying their Christmas on Wednesday the First Family were busy at their Precabe Farm in Sherwood on the outskirts of Kwekwe, hosting a Chinese delegation that wants to invest in the country’s agriculture sector.

 The delegation from the China Lesso Group is in the country at the invitation of First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa following her recent visit to the Asian country.

The company deals in agriculture, home equipment and PVC products and is interested in investing in irrigation technology in the country.

Speaking to journalists during the tour of the farm where there is thriving maize and soya bean crops, President Mnangagwa said they were playing their part in producing for the country.

“No, no I am not (getting my hands dirty). This is life. This is what God said in Genesis, idyai zveziya (enjoy the fruits of your sweat) and that is what we are doing,” President Mnangagwa said.

“These (China Lesso Group) are some of the companies that she met in China who have come and have a bias towards agriculture and they are looking around to see the type of soils, the type of climate and the type of crops that we grow in Zimbabwe so that they can adjust their plans in order to invest in the agricultural field in Zimbabwe and I am saying we will offer them land and they can grow crops here both for domestic consumption as well as in the area of citrus fruits for exports.”

In her remarks, the First Lady, Amai Mnangagwa said it was her duty as a citizen to market the country to investors.  “When I went there, I was just representing Angel of Hope Foundation and they had invited me on the foundation issues,” she said. 

“But when I was there it changed to be a big project for Government and as a citizen I have been selling my country to them to come to Zimbabwe and do something with us. That’s what you are seeing. But I must say I am most interested in what they said today that they are also prepared to train our farmers and to take them to China to get more experience there.”

The head of delegation, Mr Tang Hai Bo, said there was room for improving the country’s agricultural sector.  The delegation has visited farms in Harare, Mashonaland West, the Midlands and Matabeleland South.