The Small Scale Farmers for Development Agency (SAFADA) Director, Boyd Moobwe, has welcomed Dangote Group of Companies to consider investing in the agriculture sector.
Mr. Moobwe observed that since agriculture is the mainstay of the country’s economy after mining, investment in the sector is a welcome move as it would help boost and transform the rural areas especially.
ZANIS reports that Mr. Moobwe said this in a statement issued in Lusaka today.
He disclosed that his organization is open to work with Dangote Group of companies in an effort to improve samm scale farmers’ participation in the agricultural sector.
Yesterday, Nigerian multi-billionaire Aliko Dangote who was in Zambia for a one-day visit, held talks with President Edgar Lungu where he expressed interest to consolidate his existing investments in Zambia and explore opportunities in the energy and agriculture sectors.
In response, President Lungu said agriculture is the major thrust for Zambia’s economic diversification drive.
Mr Lungu has since instructed Minister of Finance Felix Mutati and all relevant government ministries and agencies to ensure that the process of facilitating investments in job-creation enterprises is done effectively.
Mr. Mutati on his part has said Zambia offers a favourable investment climate which companies like Dangote Industries would do well to explore.
Meanwhile, Mr Moobwe has commended government for upholding the maize export ban.
He castigated the Grain association of Zambia and the Millers association of Zambia not to blame the State on its stance on grain export.
The SAFADA Director appealed to companies and individuals holding up maize but to offload the grain in an effort to cushion the high price of meali-meal.
Recently, Minister of Agriculture Dora Siliya disclosed that Government may direct the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) to offload maize from the country’s national reserves to millers to bring down the prices of mealie meal.
The mnister said FRA is holding maize stocks of about 290,000 tonnes out of over 700,000 tonnes and assured that the meali-meal prices would be contained by May, this year.
Thumbs up to PF fertilizer program too, failed, stolen. Zambians, kuti waiukulika.
Dagote will buy your land, that’s the consequence.
There’s so much poverty is Nigeria and Dangote decides to diversify in Zambia? Something is afoot!
How would Small Scale Farmers benefit from such Dangote will simply crush them…some organisations are questionable!!
Kiki dull Zambians. So pf is basically telling you that they have failed you in ensuring a successful agricultural development plan and that to them they would rather have a foreigner come in and monopolise the entire industry while he siphons millions out of this country. Pf spoke about supporting Zambians in farming etc during elections. Is this what they mean by empowering local farmers? Lungu must go or die
This world depend on each other even you, you depend on your friends ,if you say you don’t depend on any one then die, example if you are a carpenter you will depend on people who are buying your tables
This small scale farmer has no idea, what big agricultural corporations can do. Even the little 2 lima piece of land that gives him a ka yearly income from FRA after supply his once army worm attacked maize will be no more.
Dangote is a businessman and goes wherever there is opportunity to make money, it doesn’t necessarily mean he is exploiting everyone. We have so much arable land is Zambia that is just sitting idle, there is enough room for both small scale farmers and large investors, even if he farms 100 thousand hectares its still just tip of the iceberg. I say bring him in.
Positive comment
Bring Dabgote Suger.Milie Meal and Maliyiti
Zambians let us be realistic without Dangote coming into Zambia to bring cement plantation,I tell you this time cement would have reached k120,
i disagree. Cement would have reached K200, 000 old currency. Thanks papa Bwezani for bringing Dangote
Even if Dangote invests in Zambian agriculture rest assured it will not be in maize and cotton, the dominant smallscale pre-occupations.What is this ZAFADA Director talking about.
imwe ba zambiaians do not let foreigners to buy land in zambia, the generation zambians to come gona suffer, WAKE UP PF GOVERNMENT.
Welcome, Dangote. Your kind is better than these …… who are just running away from wars in their country of origin. The impact of the Chilalas has not been felt in terms of countering price escalation of the maize. We need you kind
I thought Dangote is no more. It was reported that he had died in Germany. Is this a ghost?