Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. LANDS, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development deputy minister Vangelis Haritatos has concluded a visit to the Agritechnica Show in Germany, one of the world’s largest agricultural mechanisation exhibitions, as he sought partnerships to boost local agricultural development.
The Agritechnica Show, organised by the German Agricultural Society (DLG), is a regular annual event recognised as the world’s leading trade fair for agricultural machinery and technology, bringing together global manufacturers, innovators and policymakers.
The event showcases the latest advances in mechanisation, precision farming and sustainable agriculture, with this year’s edition attracting 2 700 exhibitors from 52 countries and 430 000 visitors expected.
The event, ran from November 9 and ends on Saturday under the theme: Touch Smart Efficiency, with the top exhibitor countries being Germany, Italy, China, Türkiye and the Netherlands.
Zimbabwe faces a significant mechanisation gap, with only about 15 000 tractors in use against the national requirement of 40 000, leaving a shortfall of 25 000 units.
Further, the country also has just 150 functional combine harvesters instead of the 600 needed, highlighting the urgent need to boost investment in agricultural equipment.
“The deputy minister Hon Vangelis has concluded a highly successful visit to the Agritechnica Show in Hanover, Germany, one of the world’s largest exhibitions dedicated to agricultural mechanisation,” the ministry said in a statement.
“The event provided Zimbabwe with a global platform to showcase its agricultural transformation journey and attract strategic investment in mechanisation and irrigation.
“Hon Haritatos highlighted that the delegation engaged with several international companies specialising in soil conditioning, irrigation systems, and precision farming technologies, all critical in narrowing Zimbabwe’s mechanisation gap.”
Speaking at the conclusion of the tour, the deputy minister reaffirmed Zimbabwe’s determination to transition from traditional rain-fed agriculture to climate-smart, technology-driven and precision-oriented farming systems.
“With the right partnerships and technology, our farmers can achieve greater efficiency, productivity, and profitability,” Haritatos said.
He further noted that these engagements are aligned with the recently launched Agriculture, Food Systems and Rural Transformation Strategy II (AFSRTS II).
“The strategy seeks to achieve food self-sufficiency, enhance rural livelihoods, and transform agriculture into a profitable and sustainable enterprise,” the ministry said.
“Hon Haritatos expressed optimism about the strong interest shown by global agricultural giants such as John Deere, Claas, Case and Zoomlion, several of which are expected to visit Zimbabwe in the coming months.”
Haritatos noted that they were getting increased investment interests.
He reaffirmed the government’s vision of ensuring that every farmer fully utilises their land to feed the nation and contribute to Vision 2030, the goal of attaining an upper middle-income economy.
On Tuesday, the deputy minister toured stands at the Agritechnica Show, which he described as “very productive”, noting that global players are increasingly aware of Zimbabwe’s agricultural transformation and growth in post-harvest infrastructure.
Among the highlights was a meeting with Deutz Fahr, a renowned global supplier of agricultural machinery, which expressed strong interest in re-entering the Zimbabwean market.
Discussions centred on providing a range of equipment tailored to both small-scale and large-scale farmers, from 25-horsepower tractors to 350-horse power models.
A Deutz Fahr delegation is expected to visit Zimbabwe early next year with a detailed proposal aimed at helping the country bridge its mechanisation gap, a key step towards improving productivity and efficiency in line with the government’s Vision 2030 goals.
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