By Simbisai ShonhiwaZANU PF members and delegates this year converge inGoromonzi, Mashonaland East province for the Party’s18th National People’s Conference.The conference will be running under the theme,‘Mechanise, Modernise and Grow the Economy Towards Vision 2030’.The conference is being held at a time Government hasstepped up efforts to improve the status of the countryby putting in place strategies that promote development.Upon assuming office, the President of Zimbabwe andFirst Secretary of ZANU PF Cde Emmerson Mnangagwa-ledGovernment crafted the Vision 2030 programme which seeksto transform Zimbabwe into a upper middle income economy by2030.The first phase of Vision 2030 has already been rolled outas the country is implementing the Transitional StabilisationProgramme.President Mnangagwa earlier this year highlighted that forthe country to attain Vision 2030 there was need for stakeholdersfrom all sectors of the economy to work together.He highlighted that Government would continue to put in placea conducive economic environment for the success ofall investments.“To attain Vision 2030, we cannot afford to have idle, unproductiveor under-utilised farms,”said President Mnangagwa“Equally captains of industry and commerce must be pro-active by supporting agriculture and its attendant value chains.”With agriculture being one of the key economic sectors,Government has put in place measures to ensure farmers have access to adequate farm implements and adopt new technologies.These efforts are aimed at improving production levels inlight of the challenges resettled farmers have been facing.Farmers have bemoaned the lack of access to adequatefinancial resources and at times expertise.The country requires two million metric tonnes of maize annually to meet local demand and at times the target hasnot been met, hence the calls by ZANU PF to mechanisethe sector to improve production.Addressing stakeholders in Harare during the openingof the Zimbabwe Agricultural Show in August, PresidentMnangagwa urged resettled farmers to prove that theywere not mere farmers but real producers.“The new agrarian revolution requires beneficiaries to givedue attention to improving productivity across all crops,”he said. “The rationale behind our historic, irreversibleLand Reform Programme was to empower the indigenouspeople with the greatest factor for production, which is theland.“We must now, therefore, roll up our sleeves and assuremaximum production.”Farmers have not been spared from the negative effects ofclimate change which has resulted in the country receivingerratic rains and experiencing prolonged mid-seasondroughts.Gone are the days when farmers relied solely on rain-fedirrigation.Stakeholders contend investments should be made towardsirrigation facilities such as acquiring centre pivots and drip irrigation to curb the effectsof climate change.In the past,Government has initiated programmes such as theIrrigation Development and Rehabilitation Scheme and theFarm Mechanisation Programme to assist farmers.Other key sectors that require massive mechanisationdrive are mining and manufacturing.Over the past years, just as opportunities were beingavailed to locals in the agriculture sector, they were alsobeing availed in the mining sector.The country is endowed with rich minerals that includegold, diamonds, chrome, nickel, platinum and lithium,among others.The opportunities availed have resulted in the growth ofsmall-scale miners who have made significant contributionsto the mining sector output.These miners, due to lack of financial resources have noaccess to requisite mining implements that would helpthem maximise on production.This has resulted in Government also paying attention totheir needs and working towards the mechanisation ofsmall-scale miners.The manufacturing industry has not been spared from theeconomic challenges being faced by other sectors. Theillegal sanctions imposed on the country by the West havemade it difficult for players in the sector to access newand spare parts as well as raw materials.This has negatively affected production. Most industriesrely on obsolete equipment. As ZANU PF steps up themechanisation drive, pundits contend there is need forretooling of industries to ensure maximum production ofgoods.Embracing new technologies would ensure industriesare modernised and are capable of producing maximumlevels, and in the process, cutting production costs.Through various empowerment programmes by ZANU PFthere has been a growth of home industries or Small-to MediumEnterprises (SMEs). Statistics indicate that SMEs which employabout 60 percent of the population contributes over 50 percentof the Gross Domestic Product.Like other players in the economy, SMEs have to bemechanised, formalised and adopt new technologies toensure maximum production.