More than K5 billion worth of maize has gone to waste at several storage depots in Mkushi district, over the past 6 months.
Mkushi District Commissioner (DC), Christopher Chibuye, told ZANIS that more than 148,000 by 50kg bags of maize had been destroyed in various parts of the district as the grain had become rotten due to poor storage conditions.
Mr Chibuye stressed that the matter deserved serious consideration by the District Development Coordination Committee (DDCC), adding that there was need to address the challenge of inadequate storage facilities.
He elaborated that from among the affected depots, 14,570 bags were destroyed at Tuyu, 272,050 at Tazara Corridor, 1,067 at Milombwe and 1,765 at the Farmers Training Centre (FTC) depots.
Mr Chibuye said that there was need for the District Council to help facilitate for land as well as infrastructure premises to accommodate private sector investment into ventures such as storage infrastructures.
He reiterated that Government had been consistent in encouraging private sector participation in storage infrastructure, saying such a move was aimed at complementing the existing Food Reserve Agency (FRA) depot network.
In a related contribution, Mkushi District Cooperative Union (MKDCU) General Manager, Harrison Kalota, has called for urgent attention to address challenges pertaining to maize storage at depots.
Mr Kalota charged that the FRA performance in this regard had not been impressed over the past 12 months, saying that more maize had gone to waste than in previous years.
He said the situation required interventions that would adequately address the problem with focus on the long term.
And Mkushi Council’s District Planning Officer (DPO), Chabala Mulundu, disclosed that three investors had recently indicated their interest in investing in grain storage infrastructure.
Without disclosing the identities of the investors, Mr Mulundu explained that talks were underway between the three investors and the local authority.
He said he was hopeful that arrangements could be concluded soon, saying the council was eager to court as many interested parties as possible in the quest to attract investment into ventures such as ware houses and other storage infrastructure.
ZANIS
Next will be human life worsting because of lack of food.
Wasting.
I agree with you. And seriously speaking, there is no reason why anyone in Zambia should waste away because of hunger. We need economic/commercial food justice.
:((
Not surprising, considering it’s the PF at the reigns of power.
Thought this only happened under MMD!
These are the issues which the state should take in into consideration and not useless talk over things that does not bring development in our country
This is just Mkushi what of the whole country? Why spend all that money only to leave the maize go to waste, then why buy again if we have such huge maize reserves? This is a scandal as a result of poor planning. Am touched!
People in the hron of Africa are skin hungry when we have such wastages. We should learn to be philanthropic as Africans.
I was a transporter for FRA last season, to date some of my money has not been paid, shame!!!
The ability to create, has nothing to do with race, religion, party politics or tribe but desire
to achieve a goal. Humans have developed a culture of finger pointing to mask their failures.
The rotting maize could have easily been turned into useful fuel.
Spawn ideas not accusations
And this year’s haverst is still in the hands of the farmer. Lipservice is an ongoing :d
this whole FRA is like NAMBORD needs a re-thinking. lets the private sector get a foot hold over time equilibrium.government needs to stop this over interference with business.Â
Proper storage facilities is the solution. How long will this simple to understand solution be implemented whole heartedly? This more the reason why the more districts and local empowerment is critical. We must move away from always looking to Lusaka for local problems that need local answers. Surely, harvesting and storing of our stapple food cannot be a problem that Zambians as a people can be looking to donor aid for solutions! Some of these maize can be turned into feedstock for animals at local level. Why are we so daft about storage of our farm produce in a country with distinct seasons? What if this country was in places of adverse weather patterns in Europe where you have four seasons in one day, how much maize would ever be safely stored? Why our failure to maize storage?
This is bad. Very bad. Very very bad indeed
This is a maize scandal of mega proportions. Imagine the input costs that went into this wasted maize, the jobs creation chances lost down the road in not being able to process it into mealie meal or stock feed and the people it would have fed. Clearly there is NO planning. Someone in Govt has to be answerable for this. Heads must roll. This is what should take centre stage in our Country, and not silly petty primitive tribal politics like what a former President said or did not say in his spare time. As the saying goes ‘ If we keep on doing what we have been doing, we will keep on getting what we have been getting ‘ . Someone has to account of this maize scandal. Â Â
poor planning++++ in the same country people are dying of hunger.
Somebody should get fired,u cnt hv such losses in a poor country
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