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Kiyapili Sibanda, Business Reporter
YOUNG people should forget about white collar jobs and work hard to set up their own businesses including farming, an official said.

Speaking on the sidelines of Opportunities Seminar held at a Bulawayo hotel on Tuesday, Leather Institute of Zimbabwe chairman, Mr Cornelio Sunduza, said most young people were expecting to get white collar jobs when they completed their studies rather than taking part in agriculture, for instance, which is the backbone of the country’s economy.

“There is nothing that can impoverish people as fast as taking their land away. Young people should appreciate that the agricultural sector is expanding fast and as such is providing vast opportunities. Instead of seeking white collar jobs, young people should start farming projects. They should understand that success is dressed in overalls and labelled hard work and that is the culture we want to instil in young people,” said Mr Sunduza.

He said increased participation in the agriculture sector was critical in turning around the economy.

“Zimbabwe’s economy is agro-based and as such success of the agricultural sectors impacts positively on all other sectors of the economy,” said Mr Sunduza.

A representative for the Federation of Young Farmers Club Zimbabwe, Mrs Saliwe Njolomane, said young farmers in Matabeleland could engage in livestock farming and benefit from the many Government support programmes.

The seminar was attended by graduates in agriculture, economics, forestry and representatives from the various economic sectors under the theme, “Young Farmers Integrating Education With Wealth Creation”.

In a related matter the State-owned Zim­babwe Con­sol­i­dated Di­a­mond Com­pany (ZCDC) says there are many opportunities in diamond mining value chain and has urged the youth and women to take advantage of these opportunities.

ZCDC was formed last year fol­low­ing the shut­ting down of min­ing op­er­a­tions of seven com­pa­nies by the Gov­ern­ment in the Marange fields over con­cerns that the min­ers were mis­ap­pro­pri­at­ing rev­enue from the gem­stones. Speaking in Bulawayo last week ZCDC chief executive officer, Dr Moris Mpofu, said diamonds can be beneficiated profitably by locals.

“Youth and women need to spearhead diamond value management chain from extraction, processing, cleaning, cutting, polishing and manufacturing of jewellery,” said Dr Mpofu.

@Kiyaz_Cool