The ManicaPost
THE 2019 edition of the Manicaland Agricultural Show has come and gone but memories of a well organised, productive and entertaining business expo linger on.
That the 2019 edition of the Manicaland Agricultural Show was held amid unstable USD interbank and parallel market rates triggering an inflationary environment on the market leaves detractors green with envy as organisers managed to host a fruitful and memorable event.
With 17 000 people paying to witness the festivities at the Manicaland Agricultural Show, a sharp increase from last year’s 10 000, the annual event organisers can only get a pat on the back.
Diversity also came in handy for the show organisers who refused to be weighed down by the sudden pull out of traditional exhibitors as they managed to scout and lure new exhibitors.
Getting about 10 new exhibitors at a cost in a difficult economic environment is no mean feat.
Ngoda Granites and Parliament of Zimbabwe are some of the new exhibitors that helped fill the gap left by some big companies that, in their wisdom or lack of it, did not see value in exhibiting at this year’s provincial business expo.
For the first time in the history of the Manicaland Agricultural Show, the coming in of churches such as Latter Day Saints, United Family International Church and Jehovah’s Witness is a noble and progressive development that bodes well for a Christian nation that Zimbabwe has always been.
One needs not forget the well organised entertainment activities that have always spiced up the Manicaland Agricultural Show as this helped create a carnival atmosphere throughout the duration of the annual business and social event.
What impressed many during this year’s Manicaland Agricultural Show is the manner in which organisers prepared well for the event to overcome some daily challenges such as electricity load shedding.
Apart from the organisers, who were the foot soldiers who ensured that the event goes ahead smoothly, the Patron of the Manicaland Agricultural Show Dr Ellen Gwaradzimba also deserves praise for rendering support from the onset of the preparations through her office.
Not even on a single day or moment during the duration of this year’s Manicaland Agricultural Show did activities come to a halt because of power outages.
The well organised traditional Friday night dinner for guests and show Patron is also a living example of an event that defied the odds and lived up to its billing.
As if that was enough, unlike in previous editions where unruly elements in our society would embark on different acts of mischief and get away with it, this time around security personnel did not only provide entertainment but also ensured that peace and order was well maintained throughout the duration of the event.
Progressive citizens can only hope that the long term vision of transforming the showground’s achieving an Exhibition Park Status, obtaining the standards produced by Zimbabwe Agricultural Society (ZAS) and Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) year after year, will be realised in the near future.
We can only echo the Show President Mr Patient Mbarara’s words, noted elsewhere in this newspaper, that corporates operating in Manicaland and even beyond need to come on board to realise this dream.
This not only promotes business for the province but also dovetails into President Emerson Mnangagwa’s Vision 2030 of making the country a middle income economy.
After all is said and done, there are events like the just ended Manicaland Agricultural Show that give us hope for a better economy and a reason to keep believing in our potential as Zimbabweans.
