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Leonard Ncube, [email protected]

HWANGE Show Grounds in Madumabisa’s Number 2 are a hive of activity this morning as exhibitors prepare stands for the Matabeleland North Agricultural Show which will run from Wednesday until Saturday.

Today is arrival and stand preparation while judging will be done on Friday before the official opening on Saturday.

Since morning exhibitors have been making final touches on their stands and cleaning is underway to spruce up the image of the show grounds and infrastructure.

The Matabeleland North Show Society which organises the annual event, has also been busy with renovations and construction of new structures to resuscitate infrastructure that had been damaged over the years.

A new one-stop gate is being constructed while the office which will have a boardroom has been renovated and final touches being done.

The arena where the official opening will take place is being worked on while the farmers’ hall is also being upgraded.

The Show Society has been working with a few partners that have come through with material and financial assistance although the bulk of renovations are being done from the Society’s savings.

MNSS chair Mr Misheck Marandu said it is all systems go.

 

“Today is the first day of the show, it has started and people are putting the final touches on stands. On service infrastructure, we now have power, water and toilets connected. In terms of preparedness, we are ready now as we are putting the final touches on the administration gate and otherwise all systems go with everyone busy with final touches. By tomorrow morning we expect a calm situation where we will be ready to receive the public,” he said.

The show has over the years evolved to broaden the participation of all the seven districts and 11 local authorities in the province.

The annual exhibition, which has become a permanent activity in the provincial calendar, takes place at the Show Grounds in Number 2 in Hwange Town.

The agricultural exhibition brings together diverse audiences and businesses, giving a ready potential market for any product and service in the country and beyond. It started in 1950, then known as Wankie Show Society before rebranding into a provincial show in 2019, renaming it Matabeleland North Agricultural Show. It is affiliated to the National Association of Agricultural Show Societies of Zimbabwe.

Matabeleland North is one of the richest provinces in the country with vast natural resources and business opportunities. The provincial economy hinges on agriculture, mining, wildlife, tourism and hospitality, making the show a melting pot for business opportunities and cross-pollination of ideas.

The expo complements the Government’s devolution and decentralisation agenda while promoting the Matabeleland North Provincial Development Policy Strategy, which feeds into the national agenda.

This year’s show will be held from 7 to 10 August under the theme: “Revolutionising the local resource capital through value addition and beneficiation.”

-@ncubeleon