MASHAKADA THINK TANK
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ZANU PF appears to have been able to partially sort out the mess that it created during the land reform program. Definitely Command Agriculture has restored food security after almost 17 years of maize imports. However, 2 critical areas of Agrarian reforms remain and these are: the speedy compensation of former white commercial farmers and the issue of a proper land tenure system that can restore the land market and strenthen the national balance sheet. This is relation to the 17 million hectares acauired out the total of 40 million hectares which is the total country land stock.
On Manufacturing the key is to introduce export led growth by investing in agro-processing as compared to general industrialization where it will take time to gain competitiveness. Linked to this strategy will be the rescuscitation of the engineering , iron and steel steel subsector which has always been inextricably linked to Agriculture. In other words re-industrialization ought to be propelled by Agriculture,Agro-processing and engineering. In regard to Mining the key issues are transparency and value addition. This will unlock the full potential of Mining contribution to employment, exports and the fiscus. Tourism has always been a sector of low hanging fruits. It is affected by confidence and personal security issues. It is elastic to the country brand and tourism products that the country can show case. Zimbabwe's tourism facilities are out moded and out dated. Much needs to be done to spruce up everything including our infrastructure. Unfortunately there are no quick fixes. No govt can address all these structural issues in 7 months. For now I think the gvt should focus on the price hikes and the cash shortages because the 2 are connected. The 100 day program and its success will be measured on the basis of these 2. Indigenization reforms are good but serious investors may elect to wait for electionr fearing revisionism.