By ZBC Reporter

PRESIDENT  Emmerson Mnangagwa has commissioned the first batch of Agricultural equipment to mark the 151 million United States dollar Mechanisation Programme.

The Minister of   Lands, Agriculture,  Water, Climate and Rural Resettlement Dr Masuka was presented with a symbolic key for the equipment by Belarus Industry Minister Mr Parkhomchik Petr Aleksandrovich soon after cutting the ribbon to officially commission the equipment.

Belarus and Zimbabwe have enjoyed diplomatic ties since 1992 following the break-up of the Soviet Union, but it has only been in recent times, that the two nations have started extending these relations into the economic sphere with President Mnangagwa taking a proactive role.

Wednesday’s launch is for the first batch of equipment and the delegation is expected to finalise negotiations for a second consignment of equipment to the tune of 50 million dollars as government steps up efforts to boost productivity and ensure food security.

160 tractors and 90 combine harvesters were launched, with the rest of the equipment expected by the end of the year .

Belarus is one of the five Eurasian countries visited by President Mnangagwa in January last year where the two countries sealed several deals ranging from supply of agriculture machinery, dam construction and mining.

One of the Memoranda of Understanding was a 51 million United States dollar inter-governmental agreement on the supply of agriculture equipment.

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