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Mthabisi Tshuma, Business Correspondent 

ALL is set for the Sixth Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (ARFSD) to be held in Victoria Falls next week.

The event will be run under the theme “2020-2030, A Decade to Deliver a Transformed and Prosperous Africa through the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063”.

Zimbabwe has confirmed that it will host the top regional summit from February 24-27, 2020, according to the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) communications department.

Government and the private sector view this platform as a great opportunity for the country to showcase itself and its transitional stabilisation programme, whose major focus is re-engagement following years of isolation, among other important factors.

The climate change agenda in particular is expected to be one of Zimbabwe’s major focus on the SDGs following last year’s devastating drought and Cyclone Idai that destroyed infrastructure worth over a billion dollars in three southern African nations during the rainy season.

During the summit, the Ministry of Lands, Water, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement will host a sideline event on the last day to market the country’s agriculture sector as one of the key sectors in reviving the economy. 

Agriculture-related bodies such as Seed Co, Youth in Agriculture Apex Council Board (YAACB), Harare Institute of Technology and FAO, among others, are set to participate. Head of youth desk in the Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Nickros Kajengo, said the platform was going to assist young farmers.

“As youths in agriculture, we will use this very important forum to assist Government in its efforts to rebrand the nation, lure investors and give a true narrative of the learned, skilled and hard-working youth in agriculture,” he said.

“Agriculture is an engine of all sectors in Zimbabwe. If we fail to grow the sector then the rest will suffer. The sector requires support from markets beyond our borders. Our youth need great support and legal instruments and policies supporting youth in agriculture.”

YAACB chairperson Mr John Muchenje said he would attend and present on the role of youth in agriculture and sustainable livelihoods.

The forum is coming to Zimbabwe at the right time when the country is keen to focus more on the SDGs.

“This is a very good opportunity for Zimbabwe in the re-engagement drive. The development of economic growth and Vision 2030, where we see the country becoming an upper middle-income economy by 2030, is very important to us,” said Industry and Commerce Minister, Dr Sekai Nzenza, during a preparatory meeting late last year. Dr Nzenza was then Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare. — @mthabisi_mthire.