But those of us who lived there know that our little nation was much more than a simple producer of staple food. Here are just some of the local manufacturing industries/products which I remember our country used to produce, making us one of the most self-sufficient nations in the world:

Cement, bricks, roof sheets, structural timbers, plywood and chipboard, window and door frames, window glass, pipes and cables, nails and screws, hinges. Refrigerators, furniture, beds, wrought iron, dinner ware, carpets. A vast range of cotton and textiles, clothing, suitcases, shoes and sandals. Breakfast cereals, cooking oils, sugar, nuts, beer, wine, spirits, soft drinks and fruit cordial, crisps, sweets, tea, coffee, processed meats, milk, butter, ice-cream, cheese, tinned food, dried food, toothpaste, toiletries, soap, shampoo. Polish, paper, envelopes, stamps, banknotes, medicines, cough syrup. Fertilisers, chemicals, paint, car tyres, coffins, boat building and batteries. Refined copper, tin, steel, asbestos, nickel and sheet metal. Agricultural implements, ploughs, water pumps, wheelbarrows, ethanol fuel. Jewellery made with local emeralds, sapphires, semi-precious stones and gold. Assembly of cars, bicycles, TV’s and radios.

Together with the achievements of our once-celebrated wildlife industry and the disproportionately high number of world-quality sports and arts personalities that we have produced relative to our small population, we can be rightfully proud of the past achievements of our country and its innovative, hard-working and friendly people. Were it not for the impact of our short-sighted politicians, Cold War intrigues, civil war, and the more recent gross corruption and mismanagement of our economy by ZANU-PF, by now our nation would probably be the social and economic jewel of Africa. Hopefully, when good governance is finally restored and race is no longer used as a cheap political weapon, Zimbabwe’s economic potential will once again be realised.