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From Clemence Manyukwe in Harare
THE country’s economic blueprint Zim-Asset has yielded major successes so far as efforts to revive the economy gain momentum.

The economic plan, which runs from October 2013 to December 2018, is anchored on four clusters: food security and nutrition; social services and poverty eradication, infrastructure and utilities as well as value addition and beneficiation.

Addressing a workshop on the development of the Zim-Asset communication strategy in Harare yesterday, the chief secretary to the President and Cabinet Misheck Sibanda said so much was being done, but the absence of a clear communication strategy has given rise to diverse perspectives’ ranging from comical satires on Zim-Asset in the social media, to incidences’ where persons pursuing self-serving projects brand them as Zim-Asset programmes.

Sibanda said under value addition and beneficiation, notable improvements have been registered.

“For example, in the textile industry, the formerly closed David Whitehead factory in Chegutu and Archer Shirt Factory in Bulawayo are now back in business. The Bata Shoe Factory, is now operating at over 60 percent capacity utilisation, while some chrome smelting companies in the Midlands, such as Zimasco and ZimAlloys are now poised for growth in the wake of the temporary lifting of the ban on chrome exports,” said Sibanda.

He said under the Information Communication Technology sector, more than 11 flagship projects are ready for launching in the areas of e-learning; e-passport; e-visa application; e-medicine; e-company registration; e-procurement, e-liquor licensing, e-mining prospecting licensing and e-land application.

“A high performance computing system has been put in place at the University of Zimbabwe to facilitate the implementation of quick-wins in a number of economic endeavours such as mining exploration, meteorological forecasting and monitoring of climatic changes, land surveying, drought monitoring and crop assessment and other strategic uses,” he said.

The chief secretary said projects being implemented under utilities and infrastructure include the expansion of the Kariba South Hydro Power Station; expansion of the Hwange Thermal Power Station; rehabilitation and broadening of the Plumtree-Harare-Mutare highway and construction of tollgates.

Under the Food Security Cluster and Nutrition, Sibanda said important initiatives under the cluster include the provision of support for small scale farmers through irrigation development programmes and supply of agricultural machinery through programmes such as the Brazil/Zimbabwe More Food For Africa Programme.

There is also the provision of support for small and medium enterprises through the recapitalisation of Sedco and the availing of mining equipment to artisanal miners as well as the provision of various equipment and medicines to the country’s referral, provincial and district hospitals under the $89 million China Eximbank facility.

Sibanda said it was worth noting that development partners have agreed to align their funding to the Zim-Asset cluster priorities.