BY Martin Muleya.
Mutare, Zimbabwe. (News of The South) – Delayed by Zimbabwe’s toxic political bickering Green Fuel was only finally freed to operate after persistent community pestering of government leadership.
By 2011 the Green Fuel ethanol in Chisumbanje had halted production after reaching maximum storage of close to 10 million litres. During that period up to 2013 the factory remained idle, although politics around it did not.
Located on the eastern bank of the Save River, about 10kilometres south of Birchenough Bridge, in Chisumbanje area, the USD$ 600million project is deemed to be one of Africa’s largest investments. In operation it provides some 4 500 jobs and indirect jobs have been a significant characteristic amid the economic and social crisis the country is facing.
Having been constructed in 2011 it could not operate due to a lot of political bickering until 2013.
Even then, with a production capacity of 120 million litres of ethanol per year, it was only making 7 million litres of ethanol whose uptake was not guaranteed.
Even though the project was run by a figure close to ZANU Pf and by the government, it was as if everything else was a subject of a heavy political agenda. Among the arguments made in the debate was the company’s failure to comply with government’s indigenisation program which required a majority of native ownership.
At the height of the crisis between the company and the communities in Chisumbanje and Chinyamukwakwa areas, the company has not disappointed!
Its fortunes were however to look up at the expiry of the government of national unity when government legislated 15 per cent mandatory blending in March 2014.
Despite its plethora of challenges, the company has managed to record successes by empowering the local people in the community in which the giant ethanol plant was constructed.
A work suit unit has been set up by Green Fuel in Chisumbanje and is being run on a pioneer principle by beneficiaries from the community who underwent an intensive selection and training program. The members of the workshop have aptly named their business Manna Creative Fashions and have taken ownership of the project.
This can aptly describe the success story of a sawing co-operative that recently celebrated their second anniversary amid pomp and fun-fare.
Officially opened on the 1st of September last year by Small to Medium Enterprises Minister Sithembiso Nyoni, the project has since produced over 2 500 work suits.
Prisca Ndindani a beneficiary of this sawing project hailed Green Fuel (Pvt) (Ltd) for engaging local communities to run successful and sustainable business such as Manna Creative Fashion.
“Manna Creative Fashions is currently run by nine personnel and we have developed confidence in doing sawing and now capable to become small business owners. Having started off with minimal experience in the garment making industry, the initial training we received provided an excellent base from which to develop within the trade thus we have made significant progress in the skills development and general business practice,” remarked Ndindani.
She said during the year 2015, MCF produced 3 673 work suits and the production capacity has improved from an average of 30 work suits a week to an average of 150 work suits.
She also reiterated that as budding small business entrepreneurs’ they were optimistic that in the second year of their operations they will be able to produce 200 work suits over a week.
“Our main objective is in 5years time we desire to have some more machines and we expect our small company to grow into a big manufacturing company, thus empowering all the youths here in Chipinge and surrounding areas, in order to have a better Zimbabwe,” she concluded.
Green Fuel’s social responsibility program centres on the principle of sustainable development. Depending on ethanol sales, a budget has been set aside each month for community development and the benefits are becoming increasingly evident.
The company has developed over 1 200hectares of land for community farmers at a cost of over $10 600 000.00
Of this, 250 hectares have been developed for war veterans and 410 hectares have been developed for local settler farmers who are currently participating in an out-growers scheme.
The remaining 450 hectares have been developed for community farmers, in line with Green Fuel’s commitment to developing 10 per cent of all land under sugar cane for the community. Thus far, over 900 farmers have benefited from this and as development of land for sugar cane continues, further irrigation schemes will be established.
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