South African President Cyril Ramaphosa is expected in Harare this Friday to officially open the 115th edition of the Zimbabwe Agricultural Show (ZAS), the country’s largest annual trade exhibition.
The week-long event, which began on Monday, has already attracted hundreds of visitors, including schoolchildren, who are taking part in exhibitions and various activities. This year’s show runs under the theme: “Building Bridges: Connecting Agriculture, Industry and Community.”
Confirming Ramaphosa’s attendance, Foreign Affairs and International Trade secretary, Ambassador Albert Chimbindi, said finer details of the programme would be shared soon.
“Yes, President Ramaphosa will officially open this year’s agricultural show,” he said.
Strong International Presence
At least 505 exhibitors are participating this year, including 12 international companies from Pakistan, Nigeria, Brazil, Ghana, South Africa, Tanzania, India, Malawi, Mozambique and Zambia.
Zimbabwe Agricultural Society (ZAS) chief executive Rufaro Alfred Gunundu said preparations had gone smoothly and organisers were confident of a successful event.
“We are happy about the preparations. So far, we are on top of everything. We have prepared well for the show and we are expecting the number of exhibitors to rise,” Gunundu said.
He added that the exhibition remained a critical platform for showcasing the country’s agricultural progress while addressing challenges facing the sector.
Packed Programme
This year’s show will feature a wide range of activities, including a schools’ quiz tournament, a food security business breakfast, the annual National Agricultural Business Conference, and the Zimbabwe Agricultural Media Awards.
Other highlights include an Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) conference, a Research for Agricultural Excellence and Technology indaba, as well as an exhibitors’ cocktail party.
Competitions will also take centre stage, with 300 provincial winners set to participate in the ZAS Show section, judged by a regional panel. The livestock section has recorded 499 entries, while 1,636 submissions have been made for agri-produce categories from 112 farmers.
The Zimbabwe Agricultural Show, historically one of the country’s flagship economic and social events, is expected to draw thousands of visitors and strengthen regional agricultural and industrial ties.