Lazarus Sauti

Lazarus Sauti EVERY time climate-induced drought wrecks Zimbabwe, the media is saturated with pictures of wilting crops and dry pastures strewn with carcasses of livestock. These pictures confirm that climate change is real and farmers are losing their crops and livestock. Armyworms invasions, pests, and diseases are further compounding the problem for farmers, especially smallholder ones who contribute over two-thirds of the total agricultural output in the country. Unfortunately, they are more vulnerable to climate risks since they do not have the resources to take preventive measures or absorb shocks. “Rainfall variability, harsh weather conditions, and chronic droughts have badly affected most families here in Hwedza,” said Sarah Makoni, a smallholder farmer in Gonese, a village in Hwedza District in Mashonaland East Province of Zimbabwe. She added that most smallholder farmers in her area, just like others in semi-arid provinces such as Manicaland, Masvingo, Mashonalan

Lazarus Sauti NATIONAL Social Security Authority  (NSSA) Chief Investments Officer,  Isaac Is aki  said pension funds are driving investments and stimulating sustainable socio-economic development in Zimbabwe. He added that his organisation’s investment portfolio is valued at ZWL$30.48 billion and spread across a wide spectrum of asset classes and industries shares, including equities, properties, offshore investments, and fixed income. “The Authority has a diverse property portfolio comprising industrial, commercial (retail, offices, and mixed-use), residential, medical facilities and land banks earmarked for future development,” Isaki said. He further said these properties are 110 in total and they  include NSSA House, Celestial Park, Social Security Centre, Pomona Shopping Centre, Bindura Shopping Centre, Chipinge Shopping Centre, Ekusileni Hospital, Beitbridge Hotel, and Compensation houses across the country. “NSSA  is one of the largest portfolios investing on the  Zi