President Emmerson Mnangagwa has arrived in Victoria Falls ahead of tomorrow’s official opening of the 2018 Southern African Confederation of Agricultural Unions (SACAU) conference where strategies towards the realisation of trade-driven agricultural transformation for the region will be high on the agenda.
President Mnangagwa arrived at Victoria Falls International Airport Sunday evening and was welcomed by Matabeleland Minister of State for Provincial Affairs Ambassador Cain Mathema, Victoria Falls Mayor His Worship Councillor Sifiso Mpofu, senior government officials and service chiefs.
The President, who was accompanied by the Minister of Lands, Agriculture and Rural Resettlement, Retired Air Chief Marshal Perrence Shiri, is expected to officially open the SACAU conference which has attracted the top leadership of national farmers’ organisations, policymakers, agribusiness leaders, development partners and other stakeholders from the Southern African region and beyond.
The conference running under the theme: ‘Trade As a Driver for Agricultural Transformation,’ is being hosted by SACAU’s two members in Zimbabwe, the Zimbabwe Farmers’ Union (ZFU) and Commercial Farmers’ Union (CFU).
The conference aims at discussing key concerns and issues around trade arrangements and practices, identify and discuss key elements to consider in pursuing a trade-driven agricultural transformation agenda and create an opportunity for farmer leaders in Southern Africa to better understand the rules and regulations within which trade happens at global, continental and regional levels as well as in between countries.
The conference will be followed by an Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 16 May.
The AGM is the highest governance authority of the organisation and is for members only.
Dr Theo de Jager, who is the President of SACAU, will present his last Chairman’s report before retiring from the board at this meeting.
SACAU will confirm its new President and elect a new Deputy President and an Ordinary Board Member during the meeting. zbc
