First Lady launches groundbreaking expo for farmers, agro-processors and consumers

Tendai Rupapa

Senior Reporter

. . . showcase to celebrate Zim tradition

TRAILBLAZING tourism patron First Lady Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa on Friday held an oversubscribed stakeholders meeting ahead of her inaugural First Lady’s International Fresh Traditional Produce and Curio Expo, which is aimed at creating a platform where players in various industries can come together to showcase their products in a way that highlights the beauty and quality of Zimbabwean goods.

The expo is slated for May this year in Harare and will be an annual event.

It will also promote gastronomy tourism and empower farmers and agro-processors.

Among the various stakeholders whom the First Lady met for a meet-and-greet were farmers, agriculture university students, student innovators, businesspeople, representatives of the beverage industry, traditional food processors, fashion designers and players in the arts and craft sector.

By bringing the groups in one place, the mother of the nation said it was possible to create a direct connection between the farmer, the agro-processor and the client in an organic and authentic setting.

The expo, she said, was not all about selling products, but celebrating the incredible talent and diversity of the country.

“It is about fostering a sense of community and pride in our agricultural and artisanal heritage. It is about creating opportunities for our farmers and artisans to showcase their skills and connect with potential clients in a meaningful way.

“Allow me to share my vision for this groundbreaking endeavour, a vision that transcends mere commerce and embraces the very essence of our land, our people and our traditions, connecting the threads of a vision for organic harmony,” she said to applause.

Empowering farmers, the First Lady emphasised, was critical because they were the backbone of the nation.

“Their toil under the sun, their hands in the soil – they sustain us all. Yet, too often they remain invisible; their struggles unheard. The Fresh Traditional Produce and Curio Expo aims to change that. By providing a platform for our farmers to showcase their bounty, we empower them to reach an audience. Let us celebrate their dedication, resilience and expertise,” she said.

Dr Mnangagwa highlighted the importance of nurturing agro-processors.

“Agro-processors, the artisans who transform raw produce into delectable delights, are the alchemists of our food chain. From maize to millet, from baobab to moringa, they weave magic with their skills. Our expo will spotlight their craft, encouraging innovation, collaboration and sustainable practices. Let us honour their creativity and commitment to quality,” she said.

The need to bridge the gap with clients, the First Lady said, could not be overemphasised.

“Our clients, the discerning consumers who seek wholesome, authentic products, are at the heart of this endeavour. They deserve transparency, traceability and trust. “Through the expo, we bridge the gap between the farm and fork. Imagine a client savouring a sun-ripened mango, knowing the very tree it grew on. Imagine a curio enthusiast admiring a hand-carved wooden sculpture knowing the hands that shaped it. Let us foster these connections,” she said.

Dr Mnangagwa said her vision extends beyond commerce.

It embraces an organic set-up, a harmonious ecosystem where farmers cultivate with care, respecting the land and its rhythms.

Agro-processors innovate sustainably, minimising waste and maximising flavour, and clients choose consciously, supporting local livelihoods and biodiversity.

“Our farmers are the backbone of our nation’s food supply. They work tirelessly to cultivate the land and provide us with the sustenance we need to thrive. Through this expo, we will provide them with a platform to showcase their finest produce, share their knowledge and connect with potential buyers. Agro-processors play a vital role in adding value to our agricultural products. They transform raw materials into nutritious and convenient foods that reach our tables. The expo will provide them with an opportunity to display their innovative products, expand their customer base and gain insights into market trends.

“Finally, clients are the ultimate beneficiaries of this initiative. They will have access to a wide variety of fresh, locally sourced traditional foods and curios while also supporting our local farmers and businesses. The expos will foster a sense of community and encourage healthy eating habits. It is my belief that this expo will have a transformative impact on our nation,” she said.

By connecting farmers, agro-processors and clients in an organic set-up, the First Lady said it was possible to create a sustainable food system that nourishes people, empowers entrepreneurs and preserves the nation’s cultural heritage.

“I envision a day when every Zimbabwean turns to our nutritious and affordable traditional foods as their main diet. I envision a day when our nation is recognised as a hub for culinary excellence and innovation through our traditional foods. This expo is the first step towards realising this vision,” she said.

The mother of the nation exhorted everyone to join her and work together to make the initiative a resounding success for the benefit of the people and the future of the nation.

“I am excited about the possibilities that this expo holds, and I believe that by working together, we can create a lasting impact on our agricultural and artisanal industries. This expo is going to be a yearly event. I urge you all to join me in this endeavour and help make the First Lady’s Fresh Traditional Food Produce and Curio Expo a huge success,” she said.

Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Barbara Rwodzi paid tribute to the First Lady’s hard work, which she said was unlocking numerous benefits for the nation.

“Amai, you always come with ideas Your Excellency, you always come with initiatives and let me tell everybody here that for the Ministry of Tourism to be where it is, three-quarters of the initiatives come from our patron, Dr Auxillia Mnangagwa. Gastronomy tourism that has gone across the world now with the first Africa gastronomy coming in July, we are looking forward to seeing all of you. It’s actually being brought by UNWTO as it was known, and now known as UN Tourism since two months ago,” said Minister Rwodzi.

“ It’s coming into the country because of the work that our First Lady has done in this field of gastronomy tourism. They are honouring Her Excellency; they could not honour anybody more than to say the first Africa gastronomy forum should come to Zimbabwe, in Victoria Falls, for being the first-ever First Lady in Africa to put African food at the level of gastronomy tourism. She is the one who is being honoured for the work that she has done. So, I do not want to speak much than to say thank you very much, Amai. Her new expo initiative in Harare will be the first of its kind. Its inaugural here in Harare and the dates will be announced.’’

This is also to promote our food and continuing to do more about our Zimbabwean food or any food that is produced in Zimbabwe. Nonetheless, the arts are here, nutritionists are here. We cannot speak about our food without talking about what we want to taste and showcasing the talents of arts that we have in the country and other respectful disciplines of the talents in Zimbabwe will be seen on the day. We want to make this event a remarkable event that Amai has initiated.”

Stakeholders who were part of the meeting were upbeat.

Mrs Colleta Sigwadi-Hove from Chirumanzu in the Midlands province, who is a provincial chair for the farmers union, could not hide her joy.

“I am very delighted that Amai has called us here at Zimbabwe House to plan what we should do to carry the nation forward. I am 56-years-old but I was forgetting about our traditional food, but Amai is reminding the nation how important it is to consume indigenous food. However, after meeting the First Lady, from here I will prepare a hectare of sorghum and millet. We are farmers and after producing crops, we will ensure companies like National Foods come and collect the produce for processing so that we stick to our indigenous dishes. We are waiting for this expo to showcase the work of our hands,” she said joyfully.

ZimTrade chief executive officer Mr Alan Majuru described the expo as good and necessary.

“If you look at our exporters conference that we held last year, the focus is now promoting heritage-based exports, and this dovetails with the programme that has been launched here by Amai. Our focus is to make sure that our baobab, our masawu, our marula, all these products are showcased to make sure that we invite international buyers to also have a feel of our cuisine. I think the most important aspect of this event is the culture because we want people not only to get a feel in terms of the quality foodstuffs that we offer but in terms of the culture, so it’s very key in our thrust to export goods and services. We welcome Amai’s initiative, and we hope when it happens, we are going to have all the necessary participants both from the region and internationally to come and see how we showcase our services in terms of culture and also our goods, the traditional foods that we make,” he said.

Mr Calum Philp, CEO of Pro-Dairy, described the First Lady’s initiative as incredible.

“We have had Her Excellency hosting a launch of an incredible initiative to be able to showcase all of the products we grow in Zimbabwe, the products that we manufacture and try and close the gap between the farmer and the consumer. This programme is very important and I am a firm believer that we produce very good quality products in Zimbabwe and we do not do enough showcasing the quality that we are known to produce in Zimbabwe. This expo is very important,” he said.

Ms Wadzanai Manyore, a farmer, echoed similar sentiments.

“This programme has been very important to us as farmers, and I would like to applaud the First Lady for coming up with this idea and engaging various stakeholders. Surely, the agricultural chain is very accommodating. It begins from research where our universities come in, then we have producers who are the farmers, then processors, then marketers and consumers where the rest of the population falls into,” she said. “Today’s launch was well-packaged, with everyone across the value chain represented. This programme has been very important for us to look at issues around marketing and how to access markets for our products here in Zimbabwe. We have a conducive environment that supports the production of various crops and food items but at the end of the day if you are not having access to markets you cannot succeed. We are talking about becoming an upper middle-income economy by 2030 and one way we can do that is to address issues such as import substitution, export growth and how can we do that? We talk about food, we talk about food and their consumption and their reach to the market linking the producer and the market, linking the producer and the consumer, looking at field to plate, field to fork. So, this was the basis of this discussion, and I am very happy to have been part of it,” she said.