Zimbabwe: Seminar lays groundwork for rice production

Published Mar 24, 2023

Tridge summary

In Zimbabwe, a seminar led by Japanese rice expert Tatsushi Tsuboi, in collaboration with the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), marks a significant step towards enhancing large-scale rice production in the country. This initiative is part of the Agric4She empowerment project, aimed at achieving self-sufficiency in rice, which currently accounts for over 80% of the country's consumption and costs around US$100 million in imports annually. The workshop underscores the importance of improving technical skills, knowledge sharing, and collaboration among stakeholders to support the production of NERICA rice, a variety that is expected to boost food security and economic development. The initiative has garnered support from local farmers and experts, highlighting the potential to address nutritional needs, create employment opportunities, and reduce the strain on foreign currency reserves.

Disclaimer:The above summary was generated by Tridge's proprietary AI model for informational purposes.

Original content

JAPANESE New Rice For Africa (Nerica) expert Tatsushi Tsuboi, who is in the country at the invitation of Agric4She Patron First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa, has conducted a seminar with officials from the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development to lay the groundwork for large-scale rice production in Zimbabwe. This comes at a time when authorities are working on a rice policy to ensure the nation achieves self-sufficiency in rice production as part of the Agric4She empowerment initiative. Over 80 percent of rice sold and consumed in the country is imported, chewing over US$100 million. Currently, Zimbabwe's annual rice production is at 2 908 tonnes against a national requirement of 300 000 tonnes. In a speech read on her behalf by Dr Dumisani Kutywayo, the chief director, Department of Research and Specialist Services in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development during the recent rice seminar workshop in Harare, the ...

Source: All Africa