AS the sun rises over the bustling markets of Zimbabwe, a new generation of food innovators is poised to transform the food industry landscape.
At church centres, at community halls and shopping centres, you name them,youths and adults with food industry in mind are competing for space presenting a variety of dishes.
Amid bold government initiatives to promote healthy eating, and far from the once-vibrant industrial hubs, a new crop of enterprising innovators has emerged.
Operating with the precision and skill of seasoned professionals, they are leading efforts to revive dormant food factories and processing centres, reimagining the region’s agricultural potential.
This in-depth feature explores the critical voices shaping Zimbabwe and Africa’s food policy industry, from national to regional experts to grassroots citizens, painting a vivid picture of the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
The Zimbabwe government’s ambitious nutrition reform is most welcome and critical at this juncture, creating a pristine spirit of expectation and transformation within the food industry.
“This is a game-changer,” says Tendai Mupfumira, a senior policy adviser at the Agriculture ministry.
“We’re not just targeting unhealthy food. We’re investing in a future where every Zimbabwean has access to not only employment, but nutritious, affordable options,” he stated during a recent Press briefing in the capital.
- Teachers, other civil servants face off
- Veld fire management strategies for 2022
- Magistrate in court for abuse of power
- Vungu Dam water treatment and irrigation project takes off
Keep Reading
The reform has galvanised a new wave of energy among the country and region’s youth.
Across sub-Saharan Africa, a generation of highly skilled and educated youths and even adults are entering the management of food industry companies, bringing with them a wealth of fresh ideas and a commitment to inclusivity and sustainability.
“The potential is staggering,” explains Fatima Dhlamini, a regional food policy expert at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), based in Johannesburg, South Africa.
“Many of these countries have the infrastructure and resources to become food production powerhouses, but they’ve been held back by neglect and mismanagement,” she said in a recent IFPRI policy brief.
Local experts in Zimbabwe concur, pointing to statistics which paint a complex picture.
According to the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency, nearly a third of the country’s food production capacity lies dormant, the result of a bygone era marked by self-interest and corruption.
“These factories were built with good intentions, but they were simply too expensive to maintain,” Mupfumira said.
“Now, we’re faced with the challenge of reviving them and ensuring they serve the needs of our people.”
Food industrialists point out that the opportunity is clear as the demand for healthy, locally-sourced food is skyrocketing.
With the right investment and policy support, efforts and initiatives can harness the power of these mothballed factories to meet the demand.
Yet the path forward is not without obstacles.
Across the southern Africa region, agricultural infrastructure remains uneven, with countries such as Zimbabwe struggling to keep pace with their neighbours.
“We have the land, the resources and the people, but the past two decades have taken a toll,” Mupfumira laments.
“Rebuilding our agricultural foundations is crucial if we want to truly reinvigorate the food industry.”
This sentiment is echoed by citizens such as Themba Ndlovu, a small-scale farmer in the rural outskirts of Bulawayo.
“I’ve seen changes, both good and bad,” he says.
“We have the potential to feed ourselves and the world, but we need the critical support and investment to make it happen.”
As the conversation continues, the voices of national and regional experts paint a nuanced picture of the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
IFPRI’s Dhlamini emphasises the importance of cross-border collaboration, noting that “the solutions to Africa’s food crisis cannot be confined within national borders”.
“We need a co-ordinated regional approach to truly maximise our potential,” she says.
Ultimately, the story that emerges is one of resilience, innovation and a steadfast determination to transform the continent’s food landscape.
From the halls of government to the bustling local markets and the seemingly abandoned industrial sites, a new generation is rising to the occasion, poised to unlock the untapped potential that has long been the promise of Zimbabwe and Africa’s food future.
The Zimbabwean government is taking decisive action to address the nation’s growing health crisis by clamping down on the marketing and sale of unhealthy, ultra-processed foods.
These sweeping nutrition reforms aim to curb the rising prevalence of diet-related diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension and heart disease, which have plagued the country.
Over the next five years, the government will undertake a comprehensive review of various food-related legislation to restrict the promotion and availability of unhealthy, high-sugar, high-salt and high-fat products.
This will involve amending key laws, including the Public Health Act, the Food and Food Standards Act, the Animal Health Act, the Dairy Act and the National Biotechnology Act, to ensure that food regulation prioritises healthy consumption patterns and protects the well-being of consumers.
By implementing these far-reaching measures, the government is sending a strong message that the health of the nation is a top priority.
The goal is to create an environment that encourages healthy food choices and discourages the consumption of ultra-processed foods, which have been linked to numerous non-communicable
diseases.
This bold step marks a significant shift in the country’s approach to food policy, with the aim of improving the overall health and well-being of the Zimbabwean people.
