Zambia Civil Society Scaling Nutrition Coordinator Chilfuya William has implored government to engage the private sector in establishing small milling companies in districts throughout the country.
Mr Chilufya explained that establishing small milling companies in districts will greatly assist in reducing costs associated in transporting maize grain to millers along the line of railway.
He said transportation costs are contributing to high prices of mealie meal adding that prices of mealie meal can only be reduced further if only government encouraged the setting up of milling companies in districts.
Mr Chilufya stressed that the challenge is with government to ensure that areas that grow abundant maize are given attention by establishing small milling companies so as to cushion high mealie meal prices and shortages.
He said failure to put up small milling companies in districts it will be very difficult for government to control the prices of the commodity.
Mr Chilufya explained to ZANIS that moving maize grain from Chipata to Lusaka for milling then transporting it back to Chipata attracts a higher cost which is passed to the consumer.
He observed that very few families will be able to afford a decent meal if prices continue sky rocketing.
Mr Chilufya said with sky rocketing mealie meal prices, it will be difficult for government to scale up nutrition programmes as very few families will be able to put food on their table.
He insisted that high prices of mealie meal will delay scaling up programmes aimed at alleviating malnutrition.
Mr Chilufya said more effort is required to reducing the malnutrition percentage which currently stands at 45 percent.
Meanwhile Mr Chilufya has praised government for committing itself to commerce distributing 2013 to 2014 farming inputs in September this year.
He said such a commitment by government is welcome as it will help farmers to grow adequate food on time.
Mr Chilufya recalled that the delay in distributing farming inputs in the last farming season will negatively affect rural families.
ZANIS
Very good point. Here you are people in Diaspora, this is another opportunity for to invest your hard earned dollars. Even if u clean toilets or old peoples bums don’t worry. Its the same dollar. Just bring it and put up a small milling company in your district and life goes on than leaving in the boring Europe. To tell u the truth I have always found Europe to be boring. I have never been to the USA so I dont know how it is that side. I have been to Germany, Italy, France, Switzerland. Life is not very interesting nga pa Zambia bane. Zambia is sweet bane.
Hammer mills were placed in all districts during MMD but Muteteka gave them to his concubines.
Dzikomo, but you are wrong, Life is the same everywhere you are. Just make it fun you will find out
Very good proposal. I want to believe though that hammer mills were placed in many districts and villages during LPM’s reign. I want to believe that the current shortage of mealie meal has more to do with Govt mishandling the bumper harvest they found than availability of hammer mills. It’s common knowledge that Govt. Exported more maize than they should have hence the current shortage of mealie meal. Congo DR has always got mealie meal from Zambia & millers have had capacity to produce & feed the nation with new mills being built. On fertilizer distribution; September is too late to start. They should have finished distribution by Sept.
It is not govt to do so but the private sector. The govt should provide an enablisng environment.
WHY GOVERNMENT it is we Young Zambians to do so. Business opportunities Guys lets go back Home.
NOT ONLY THE AVAILABILITY OF HAMMAR MILLS BUT PIPO MUST B EDUCATED ,IT IS NOT ONLY MAIZE MEAL DAT’S FOOD .PIPO MUST B TAUGHT DAT IT IS NOT B/FAST MEAL DAT IS NUTRITIONAL BUT ALSO ROLLAR MEAL. OTHERWISE EVEN DOSE H/MEALS WILL B OF LITTLE OR NO USE.
Bane we must never go back to UNIP parastatals again. Enable the private sector – stop this price control non sense. It never worked – it’ll never work. Rather than govt control price let demand and supply determine.. Empty shelves, long queues of pipo queuing for who knows what… Remember those of KK – pls no more!
This is the silliest suggestion ever made by a living, breathing, Human being with a brain. And those supporting it and think it makes sense only goes to show how shallow some bloggers on this site can be. The problem is not how small or how many milling companies the government owns – that was tried and it failed many years ago, unless those suggesting and supporting it were not born yet.
What Chilufya should have said is that if government want to control the price of milu milu, let them grow their own maize, gaya their own unga, transport it themselves and sell it themselves. Only then will they appreciate dynamics that go will melie meal production. Free market economy dictates that you do not price what’s not yours. Zambia already has small milling companies right up to the villages. They are called vigayo. Its easier when you take your own maize to be gayad because you ensure quality yourself but to gaya for masses, there are standards that need to be met which not every jim and jack will meet. The solution is for govt to stop interfering and allow the private sector to flourish
Maize is there in large quantities but the selfish people want to reap from poor Zambians. But also let us Zambians be wise, we can grow our own maize and gaya it or we can diversify in staple food. Let us not depend on maize only.
Peace and prosperity to Mother Zambia.
just pound the corn at home mu kabende