Zimbabwe Sets Goal to Become a Global Leader in Blueberries Exports

Though Zimbabwe's blueberry acreage is modest compared to giants like Peru and South Africa, the nation’s horticulture industry has set a vision to transform the horticulture sector into a one-billion dollar industry, Linda Nielsen, the CEO of the Zimbabwean Horticultural Development Council, tells Global South Pole.

“What we have set [for] ourselves [a goal] as a horticulture industry is to become a $1 billion sector. So for now, we're looking at [2030] and moving in smaller blocks. If we could move the blueberry industry from 570 hectares to 1500, that would be a more achievable goal for the industry. And that's what we're looking at in what we call the medium term. So between now and 2030,” Nielsen explains.

Nielsen points out that blueberries are not only economically beneficial but also vital to employment in Zimbabwe, as they could upskill the local workforce and create jobs ranging from picking and packing to middle management.

“The return on investment to the country and into the national fiscus [treasury] as well as into the sector would be hugely beneficial. Blueberries are one of the biggest employers in terms of sector employment. And so the opportunities to grow employment and the job creation that comes through that,” she elaborates.

Looking ahead, the CEO emphasizes the importance of entering new markets such as India, Russia, and China. “The Horticultural Development Council is currently working towards a phytosanitary agreement for blueberries into these new markets,” she states. That this expansion is crucial for sustaining growth and ensuring that Zimbabwe can compete effectively on a global scale.

Ugandan Company Transforms Banana Waste into Valuable Products

The motivation stemmed from the desire to create sustainable textiles from banana stems that are typically discarded after harvest, according to Okello John Baptist, business manager of Uganda-based TEXFAD.

The Ugandan further explains that the initiative not only addresses waste management but also offers farmers an additional income stream.

“We decided to go to the stem, which is always discarded after the harvest of banana,” Okello notes. “Our business model is contributing to sustainability by ensuring that what would have been landfill waste is converted into fiber.”

John Baptist discloses that the company produces a range of items, including rugs, lampshades, eyeglass covers, clock cases, and hair extensions, highlighting that these products are gaining traction in both local and global markets due to their sustainable nature, calling for more support from partners like Russia.

“It's not a product we are producing for Uganda; it's a global product. And that doesn't mean I [should] ignore Russia, with the relationship Uganda has with the country, we are open to partnerships and engagements, having [expertise] because I know Russia is ahead when it comes to agricultural technology and all of that. So that is something we are very open to because, again, the same product can be consumed in Russia,” he stresses.

Also featured in this podcast is:

An interview conducted by a Sputnik Africa correspondent with Dr. Ntsikelelo Breakfast, a senior lecturer in the Department of History and Political Studies at Nelson Mandela University regarding the incursion into the Bryansk region which involved Ukrainian and foreign mercenaries, including those from the US, who were reportedly eliminated by Russian forces.

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