By Melody Shumba, ZiMining Reporter
President Mnangagwa recently urged Government Ministries to take a cue from the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Water and Rural Resettlement to establish functioning Youths Desks that cater for the participation and empowerment of youths in the country.
President Mnangagwa singled out Mines and Mining Development Ministry to urgently establish a youth desk in the model of the one in the Ministry of Agriculture.
The youth desk in the ministry of Agriculture has been an epitome of excellence in youth empowerment, participation on economic development and food security issues.
Other ministries have been urged to share notes with the Youth Desk in the ministry of Agriculture.
In an interview with ZiMining, Chief Youth Desk Coordinator in the Ministry of Agriculture Mr Nickros Kajengo said he was ready to share notes with the ministry of Mines in setting up a viable National Youth Desk.
“The President is the highest authority of the land; he is the Commander which any one can turn to any direction as directed or instructed. However, as a patriotic servant of His Excellence, Cde ED Mnangagwa, I am ready to contribute to our country’s vision. As a principled youth, I understand that youths are the ambassadors and the vanguard of the revolution and the Government, so I am ready to serve whenever duty calls. On account of this, I can openly and thrasonically say I am ready to add value to anything that improves lives of our youth hence working with sister line Ministries is not an option. Government Ministries and Agencies are there to complement each other,” he said.
Mr Kajengo said he was ready to avail himself to assist the Mines Ministry as he cannot turn down duty to work to develop youth in any capacity.
“Zimbabwe needs hard working people. As youths we remain guided by our leaders who do not have time to rest, right from the pre-independence era until now. They travelled on foot to neighbouring countries like Zambia, Mozambique, Tanzania and Botswana. Sweet comes after sweat and hardwork brought success. It is through working under pressure and managing the pressure that our nation fortunes will be realised,” he said
Mr Kajengo said it was not a stroll in park in turning around the fortunes on the youth in Agriculture and making the Youth Desk a beacon for youth empowerment and participation in economic development project.
“It has been a long journey and a struggle to be where we are here. We are grateful to the support we have received, as desk, from our parent Ministry. Our achievements are too numerous to mention.
“We Launched Poultry Projects in 2017 for youths, held one of the successful Capacity building workshops for youth in Agriculture throughout the country in areas such as Climate Change, Value Addition , Entrepreneurship, Financial Literacy , Livestock and Crop Production among others with partners like FAO, UNDP, Seed-Co ,World Vision.
“Through our desk, we have seen some youths, graduates from our colleges embarking on research and trials for new seed crop varieties. We managed to track progress for our youths in agriculture through the launch of a young Farmers Magazine which gave birth to the National Young Champion Farmer Awards which were officially launched by His Excellency the President Cde ED Mnangagwa,” Mr Kajengo said.
He said youth in both mines and agriculture sector have the potential to help government in reviving the country’s economy and contribute to Gross Domestic Product.
“In line with Vision 2030, whose thrust is to make Zimbabwe an upper middle class economy, the Ministries (of Mines and Agriculture) through the Youth Desks can support the youth through various ways.
“Some of these include capacity building with an intention to impart relevant and necessary farming and mining skills to our youth so that they positively contribute to the growth of the economy.
“with the country’s rich mineral resource base, nothing can stop our youth from participating in the current economic trajectory,” he said.
