Nowhere is this more visible than in efforts to rebuild textile and garment industries across the continent. In Zimbabwe, this continental push is taking shape through the government’s Cotton to Clothing Strategy, which aims to reconnect agriculture with manufacturing and revive a sector that once employed tens of thousands. Energy Deshe, Vice-Chairperson of the Zimbabwe Clothing Manufacturers Association (ZCMA) and Chairperson of the National Employment Council for the Clothing Industry, says the strategy is about more than policy. It is about restoring linkages, competitiveness, and confidence across the entire value chain.
Deshe explained that what makes the current approach different is its emphasis on value addition and coordination. Instead of operating in silos, farmers, ginners, spinners, and garment manufacturers are being brought into one strategic framework. He stressed that the clothing segment plays a critical role because it is labor-intensive and has the strongest multiplier effect, driving demand for textiles and cotton while creating employment and supporting livelihoods across the economy.
“I would describe the clothing sector as a low-hanging fruit. In that one, it is essentially a sector which is not capital intensive, maybe in terms of ease of entry. And you will also see that the clothing sector provides a key linkage between the farmers and the textile industry. For instance, we are probably at the end of the value chain. We are the ones who actually demand what will come from the textiles, and the textiles will have demanded what will come from the farmers. If the clothing sector does well. What it means is that it will have a ripple effect on the other value chain nodes,” Deshe said.
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