Lumezi District Commissioner Jimmy Phiri has handed over two egg incubators worth over K70 thousand to women cooperatives under the Enhanced Small-Holder Investment Programme (E-SLIP).
Mr Phiri assured cooperatives that government wants to empower cooperatives towards improving their financial and nutrition status, especially among women-led farmer groups through livestock production.
Mr Phiri told the women-led groups that government wants to reduce poverty and improve the lives of women in rural parts of the district.
“I am informed that 28 women cooperatives, each having a minimum membership of 60 individuals have been targeted to benefit from this empowerment,” he said.
He expressed confidence that empowering women with livestock production initiatives is the right step to eradicate poverty and gender inequalities in remote areas.
And speaking earlier, acting Livestock and Fisheries Coordinator Thuli N’gwane observed that the empowerment is expected to enhance the livelihoods of women in the district.
“This initiative will increase the revenue and finances of women and change the nutrition status at the household level.” He added.
Mr N’gwane explained that a total of 1,300 individuals drawn from 28 cooperatives, in Zumwanda and Chikomeni chiefdoms, are targeted beneficiaries of the livestock empowerment initiative.
He added that the 520 egg hatching capacity incubators will function as a pass-on empowerment initiative, as designed by the E-SLIP programme under the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries.
Meanwhile, Beauty Nyirenda from Chikomeni Association women’s cooperative stated that the incubator will assist to improve the production of chickens and consequently enhance revenue for the cooperative.
Mrs Nyirenda lauded the government for including women in development adding that the empowerment will address numerous challenges which they undergo as a number of them are breadwinners in households.
520 Egg capacity incubator at K35000.00? Two at K70000.00? This is plain day light theft. That incubator would cost about US $100.00 and would land in Zambia at less than $400.00. Then how do we justify the price of K35000.00
(US $16100.00) for that incubator?
I can present as evidence my 6200 egg capacity incubator with inbuilt Hatchery still brand new boxed in Lusaka I bought at landed cost US $2500.00.
The District Commissioner who handed over the incubators and the supplier must be held to explain and account for this transaction. Its day light plain corruption period
John – Does your incubator have settler, automatic egg turners, LCD screen, temperature sensors to encourage higher hatching rates and lower electrical bills. …I am looking at a HB350 S – Egg Incubator – Setter on UK website, it has a set up to 350 chicken eggs at a time with 10 adjustable egg racks costa about £1780 which is about K34900. If I were to buy this incubator now send to Zambia costs would be higher …please give us the brand of your 6200 egg capacity incubator.
So you go to the rural area and hand these co-operatives an incubator and you call it empowerment; people will look after something if they too invest something who will pay the electricity bills, is it solar powered? Where are getting these incubators is it a local company assemblying or manufacturing them? Did this DC use CDF funds for this procurement? Why not give this incubator to the co-op in form of a loan at 0% APR?
I salute you Tarino Orange ….
John should specify the model because that technic inbuilt is an advantange and dictates when it comes to pricing.
Tarino Orange mah brother my Incubator is fully automated. Settler and auto egg turning, hatchery, and yes a large LCD Screen. UK is an expensive place to buy such my bro so you better off order from China where even here in the UK they’re sourcing they don’t manufacture in UK. Even South African does have but way cheaper at that capacity.
This issue Im not commenting from ignorance or for the sake of it but from practical experience as poultry farmer and trader. Those incubators they donated where over priced period. Wish I could attach a photo of my incubator here but I’m failing.
Tarino Orange mah brother my Incubator is fully automated. Settler and auto egg turning, hatchery, and yes a large LCD Screen. UK is an expensive place to buy such my bro so you better off order from China where even here in the UK they’re sourcing they don’t manufacture in UK. Even South African does have but way cheaper at that capacity.
This issue Im not commenting from ignorance or for the sake of it but from practical experience as poultry farmer and trader. Those incubators they donated where over priced period. Wish I could attach a photo of my incubator here but I’m failing.