WHEN Chinese President Xi Jinping lands at the Harare International Airport on December 1 2015, there will be many things at stake such as the revival of the Zimbabwean economy, in particular, the agriculture sector.
It will be about consolidation of China/ Zimbabwe relationship.
The romance ignited during Zimbabwe’s struggle for freedom and control of its land.
Not even the vast and vicious climatic change whose marauding effects have been felt in the country in recent times have put a dent on the relationship between the two great nations.
There will be razzmatazz associated with visits of people like President Xi Jinping.
There will be the Guard of Honour.
There will be the 21-gun salute.
And most significantly there will be the China/Zimbabwe Investment Conference on the eve of President Xi Jinping’s visit.
This is where the real deal will be.
This is where potential will be unlocked, but focus must be on investing in irrigation rehabilitation and development.
And we shall witness those big signatures whose enduring prints will forever translate into the transformation of the Zimbabwean economy; the transformation of people’s lives.
The conference as revealed by Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa during an investment conference organised by the Ministry of Macro-Economic Planning and Investment Promotion in Harare last week will be attended by well over 50 companies from the Asian economic powerhouse.
VP Mnangagwa, who is in charge of the resource mobilisation committee in and outside the country, said the visit by the large number of Chinese companies was a sign that confidence in the country as a safe investment destination continues to soar.
“I am pleased to announce that a contingent of over 50 Chinese companies will be in the country,” said VP Mnangagwa.
He said the influx of delegations from across the globe seeking investment opportunities in the country pointed to an economy on the brink of unprecedented take-off.
“In recent months, we have received a good number of delegations wishing to invest in Zimbabwe,” he said.
“We have also seen Africa’s richest man (Mr Aliko Dangote) visiting us with the intention of establishing investments in the manufacturing and power sectors.
“Last month, we had Germany investors scouting for investment opportunities in Zimbabwe’s critical areas including manufacturing.”
The two-day conference is being held under the theme: ‘Attaining Inclusive Growth and Poverty Reduction through Enhanced Investment in line with Zim-Asset’.
With the Meteorological Services Department (MSD) having recently warned that the country is likely to receive normal-to-below normal rainfall this season, there is now greater need for the revival of existing irrigation facilities and establishment of new ones.
The Chinese have expressed readiness to support Zimbabwe agriculture.
Chinese firm, China CAMC Engineering has already announced plans to revive operations at ARDA Mushumbi Pools by investing US$200 million to develop irrigation over the next five years.
The ARDA Mushumbi Pools project will see the Chinese constructing a dam that should irrigate about 1 000 hectares.
Under the proposed plan, China CAMC would also set up a cotton ginnery and a fruit canning plant at Mushumbi Pools.
At least 3 300 out-growers around the ARDA Mushumbi Pools estate will benefit from the mega project as they will be contracted to supply cotton for the ginnery that will be set up.
Information at hand shows that India has agreed with the Zimbabwean Government to a massive irrigation rehabilitation and development scheme that will be funded to the tune of US$60 million.
The Indian irrigation project is set to be unveiled anytime from now as the country moves towards mitigating the effects of climate change.
On Monday, VP Mnangagwa met with a Belarus delegation to finalise the US$150 million investment deals agreed between the two countries in July this year.
In July, VP Mnangagwa went to Belarus where the deals were negotiated.
Under the deal, Zimbabwe will receive an assortment of machinery and equipment for mining, construction and agriculture early next year, itself a timely boost for the country’s quest to improve food security.
With prospects for economic development increasingly looking brighter, there is no prize for guessing that our future success in the agriculture sector will hinge on irrigation.
The China/Zimbabwe Investment Conference should be the platform for investments to be channelled towards irrigation.
Let those with ears listen.