Mutoko Project To Cut Crude Oil Bill by US$300m
President Mnangagwa
Debra Matabvu and Precious Manomano
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa is set to commission the Finealt Bioeconomy Industrial Park in Mutoko this week, marking a major milestone in the Government’s drive to accelerate rural industrialisation, promote value addition and beneficiation and unlock sustainable economic opportunities for local communities. The commissioning also marks one of the earliest flagship projects under National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2), which identifies rural industrialisation, value addition and beneficiation as central pillars in transforming Zimbabwe from a primary commodity-based economy into a diversified manufacturing and export-oriented economy by 2030. The industrial park project, being set up by Finealt Engineering — an agency under the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development — is an integrated industrial hub producing biodiesel, cooking oil and soap, with a stock feed plant to be added later. The industrial park will utilise locally-available natural resources and by-products predominantly found in Mashonaland East Province, creating value-added products, while enhancing community participation in the provincial economy. The project aligns with the NDS2, which states that: “During NDS2, Government will prioritise the transformation of the agricultural sector into a competitive, export-oriented and value-driven industry that anchors rural industrialisation and growth in trade.” In an interview, Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development Permanent Secretary Professor Fanuel Tagwira said the project is a practical demonstration of the Heritage-Based Education 5.0 philosophy, which seeks to harness Zimbabwe’s indigenous resources, knowledge and innovation to drive industrialisation, economic growth and national development. ReadMore