Farmers and officials from the Omaheke Region who were on a benchmarking visit to Harare, Zimbabwe, have been urged to implement what they learned from their counterparts, particularly in the dairy industry.

The call was made by Governor Pijoo Nganate at the end of the visit.

Nganate says those who accompanied him must implement and share what they have learned with others in their respective constituencies.

"We want a regulated and organised dairy industry, and that's why we want your involvement from the start. That way, we can have a strong foundation to avoid any mistakes, but we have to start running."

The Secretary in the Harare Metropolitan Province, Tafadzwa Mugudi, wants the parties to the twinning agreements to focus on taking development to the grassroots.

"What they have learned is now going to impact millions of people, and many jobs should be created because we have opened up our people, so we want to go deeper instead of us being in meetings. We need to have a lot of these engagements across the continent, especially in the regions, because when SADC is stable economically, all our lives will be good.

On his part, the Chief Regional Officer, Pecka Semba, says the bench-marking visit to Harare came at a time when the region is embarking on a transformational period of development.

"When you see that these people are doing it right in Zimbabwe, it can also be done in the Omaheke Region if we put our ideas together, our heads together, and if we try to make it as practical as possible and have an approach that is user-friendly in terms of starting dairy projects." 

A dairy farmer at Otjombinde, Kaveri Kavari, says mentorship and support programs from Zimbabwe are very commendable and farmers are benefiting optimally. 

"We have seen a lot we didn't know. The fact that you have seen farmers who are at your level succeed is very encouraging. That was very motivating."