Government and a South African Company have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to setup 15,000 hectares of sugar plantation in Kazungula district.
The MoU was signed by Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) Director of Investment, Promotions and Privatization, Muhabi Lungu and AG-Zam Project Development Business Manager, Anthony Alexander at the Royal Livingstone Hotel, in the tourist capital today.
The investment is worthy US$251 million and is expected to create over 4,000 job opportunities for the local people in the district.
And speaking after witnessing the signing ceremony of the MoU, President Rupiah Banda said his government intends to make Livingstone city, a major investment destination.
President Banda added that his administration plans to make Livingstone city attract major investments so that it becomes the most attractive venue for both local and international conferences in the country.
The President is particularly impressed that a major investor has come in the country to invest in the sugar industry in Kazungula district to supplement similar huge investments in Mazabuka town.
President Banda explained that Kazungula stands to benefit a lot from the investment as it will attract other socio-economic development.
He urged local investors to take advantage of various investment opportunities by partnering with foreign investors to increase development in the country by becoming major economic players.
Earlier, AG-Zam Project Development Business Manager, Mr. Alexander said the company will start the planting of sugar cane in the next 21 days.
Mr. Alexander said his company was not only planning to start producing sugar but ethanol as well.
He stressed that the company will not only produce sugar for local consumption but will also target the export market.
Meanwhile, ZDA Director of Investment, Promotions and Privatization Muhabi Lungu said the agency is currently finalizing the MoU.
Mr. Lungu said once the project starts, over 3,000 local farmers will benefit from the out-grower scheme that will come directly from the investment.
ZANIS
it seems South Africans are geared to take over and controlling Zambian economy. Let them leave that land for the children of our children. We can not use all the land at same time.
Good investment. That is what we need to hear from MMD
investment is good and welcome but only after
1. the interests of the locals are taken care of
2. environmental matters are looked into carefully (polution, water usage, etc)
3. infrastructure development
the figure given of 4,000 jobs to be created is not logical, unless they mean below minimum wage contract farmers. it just doesn’t make economical sense to have 4,000 contract farmers
Atleast this could be a viable investiment, not the copper one which doesnt promise any future for the nation, I wish some one would invest in pineaples in mwinilunga , bananas in mununshi, coffee in kasama and tea in kawambwa to name but a few but our leaders are focused on wrong investments
I am not surprised, Southern province has received the largest investment while in the opposition than when they were in the ruling party. No wonder they are not even moved, this is really a unique province on it’s own. These are people who are not cheated to say vote for me thats when you receive huge investment, as they know for sure that with or without the ruling party every one has a way of contributing to economic growth and a share of investment. You do not need to belong to the ruling elite for you to receive investment as investors are the ones who know where they want to invest. Chief Mukuni is constructing a 4star hotel with the help of an American Bank which will be named after him. We are moving forward.
This is good investment. Continue with this development govt. 4,000 jobs is a huge figure. This is more than the jobs one copper mine provides. This is great news also for diversification of the economy.
#4 Do you know how many countries in the world especially in Africa are established tea and coffee producers? Why invest in a market that is already saturated?
Mr. Capitalist – 3 E’s steering economic growth says:
April 2, 2011 at 11:03 pm
This is good investment. Continue with this development govt. 4,000 jobs is a huge figure. This is more than the jobs one copper mine provides. This is great news also for diversification of the economy.
I’m also going to create 4000 jobs in the Meat Industry for Eastern province…..At $1 Per hour wages im going to have the biggest slave movement in this world and its all LEGAL thanks to Rupiah Banda
@ #8 Sinners
Workers in some Asia countries earn way less than $1 per hour. Plus $1 per hour for a 40 hour work week translates into $160 per month which am sure is more than what your family in Zambia pays their maid and garden boy.
This land is too big to be given to foreigners whether they are good investors or not. How many Zambians whether individuals or companies own 15 000 hectares? This colonisation again. our land is being grabbed indiscriminately and I do not like it at all. The best thing is to teach Zambians how to fish, not giving them fish. It does not matter how many jobs this new Nakambala will create, the real issue is that those workers will remain poor even if they are employed. How many workers are reach in Mazabuka? cane cutters from kalabo have been working in at Nakambala but each time they go back to cut sugar cane they are poor. They are not taught how to work for themselves, but how to work for boers from South Africa. For how long should this trend continue? Shame
Investment my foot… come pipo wats the differenc with zambia sugar? instead of boasting it up and improve workers conditions you bring other to duplicate thier works. Zambu asuger needs to grow hence its the one which was supposd to go thier to show its growth… am afraid coz our leaders are good and signing MoUs they dont read… good luck for the project though, i hope you have not made a mistake
9.
You have no thought for your maids and garden boys.
You don’t deduct weekends for them to rest and pray?
Atleast my family allows their slave(so you understand) to go home on weekends.
The whole family takes over chores on weekends as they are home all day and night.
We can argue wages for another 5 years as nothing will change rapidly for Zambian slaves.
The South Africans must prepare for this illegal contract to be cancelled. This is not ‘development’, this is a corrupt deal made by central government MMD politicians to line their own pockets.
I’ll bet the MMD politicians who made this deal aren’t even from the area.
We MUST have an economy that is made up of small and medium sized enterprises, millions of them, and the people must have an unalienable right to their own land.
With 15,000 hectares, they could create 150 farms of 100 hectares each, employing 20 people each, and create 3,000 jobs. Then with ancillary employment (teachers, doctors, local suppliers and their employees), that could easily be 4500 jobs total, if not more. You could have greenhouses, packaging, small factories, temporary jobs, etc.
And the people would keep all the profits, instead of sending the profits out to South Africa.
21 days will start planting = grabbing local people’s farm land and misplacement of villagers by greed investers.. Why government can not run such plantations and avoid large a mount of money going out of the country.. Is zambia NOT independent??? Why inriching other countries, even in sports they go camping in SA.. rubbish.. develop own resources and prevent dollars leaving the country..
MrK I fully agree but why is it so difficult to get this type on economy going in African states of which Zambia is but one. I am South African but believe fervently in the right of citizens to develop and sustain their economies. What is the underlying problem, is it access to capital, skills…I don’t know but it leaves the door wide open for a second round of colonisation, this time economic..
I think as Zambians we need to develop the culture of investment so that in future we should be the ones to invest heavily in our own country and so help to keep foreigners (and their interests) at bay. My observation is that we’re consumption oriented and this is what attracts capitalists.
I agree – that’s all!