Tuesday, March 19, 2024

MUSIKA HELPS ZAMBEEF TO SUPPORT SMALE-SCALE FARMERS IN NORTHERN PROVINCE

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Zambeef head of marketing and corporate affairs Felix Lupindula’ receives the vehicle on behalf of Zambeef from Musika managing director Reuben Banda.
Zambeef head of marketing and corporate affairs Felix Lupindula’ receives the vehicle on behalf of Zambeef from Musika managing director Reuben Banda.

Musika is supporting Zambeef’s US$800,000 smallholder cattle development project in Northern Province with the delivery of a new Toyota Hilux that will be used in implementing the farming project.
The scheme is aimed at increasing animal productivity among small-scale farmers in the region, and the vehicle from Musika is intended to bolster Zambeef’s smallholder cattle development project in Mbala, where Zambeef already has infrastructure in place together with staff on site including a vet and animal disease specialists and trainers.
The partnership between food giant Zambeef and Musika, which is an independent non-profit company in Zambia, was sealed after Zambeef’s head of marketing and corporate affairs Felix Lupindula’ received the vehicle on behalf of Zambeef from Musika managing director Reuben Banda.
“Zambeef seeks to improve the breeding and productivity of the livestock in the northern area, through education and training of farmers in matters concerning disease control and general management of livestock,” said Mr Lupindula.
Under the same investment project, Musika is also donating several motorbikes that will be used in the training and education of small-scale farmers in best farming practices in the northern region.
“Through the veterinary services, Zambeef will effectively train small-scale farmers on deworming, dipping cattle, branding and vaccination. Zambeef will also bring in exotic breeds of cattle to breed with the local cattle through insemination and this is vital for local livestock farmers to understand in order to be effective,” said Mr Lupindula.
Musika’s investment strengthens private sector projects by providing logistical support that helps to improve the efficiency and scope of such farming ventures.
Musika’s core strategy is to support commodity traders, buyers and processors to establish long-term commercial relationships with smallholders that involve not just commodity marketing opportunities but access to inputs, new technologies and the provision of extension services to small-scale farmers.
Speaking after handing over the vehicle, Musika managing director Reuben Banda said: “This project between Musika and Zambeef is all about increasing animal production in the northern circuit, and Musika is taking advantage of what Zambeef has already invested in. Zambeef has an abattoir in Mbala and we want to use Mbala as a learning curve and expand to outlying districts, so the whole idea is to ensure that we increase animal population in northern Zambia.”
Zambeef’s abattoir in Mbala is used as a base for developing a robust smallholder livestock supply chain. With this abattoir and other Zambeef’s established nationwide value-adding facilities and distribution network, farmers can tap into markets that may otherwise be unavailable.
Musika estimates that over 500 farmers will participate in the cattle supply chain once it is fully operational.
Zambeef has a similar project with the NGO in Mongu where a US$150,000 milk plant aimed at supporting the growth of small-scale dairy farmers in Western Province has been installed. Zambeef provides technical assistance, training and guidance, and a working knowledge of animal husbandry to small-scale dairy farmers on how to improve dairy management and livestock productivity.

6 COMMENTS

  1. These are type of Projects and support programmes we need! In fact EACH PROVINCE needs such LINKAGES between SMALL PRODUCERS and MARKETS! The Northern Part of Zambia has a GREAT POTENTIAL for AGRICULTURE and PROXIMITY to EXPORT MARKETS in EAST AFRICA and THE GREAT LAKES REGION! We need to CAPITALIZE on THESE CONDITIONS and MOVE AWAY FROM OVER DEPENDENCE ON COPPER!!

  2. There wasting time to Bembas cattle is munani.They will slaughter all them.KK tried with Mbesuma farm they stole all the cattle.Monkeys will never stop stealing.

    • @3 Tonga/Bemba…ROTTEN TRIBALIST!! YOU are just ENVIOUS THAT THE NORTHERN PROVINCE IS ON TRAJECTORY TO REALIZE ITS AGRIC POTENTIAL! Do you think a PRIVATE COMPANY with a PROFIT MOTIVE could have been INVESTING THERE IF THEY DID NOT SEE THE PROFITS ON THE HORIZON? 40 – 50 YEARS ago still think things are the same? In fact the article says “..Zambeef will also bring in exotic breeds of cattle to breed with the local cattle through insemination and this is vital for local livestock farmers..” which SHOULD TELL YOU THAT THEY ALREADY KEEP CATTLE! JUST WAIT ANOTHER 10 YEARS and SEE THE AGRIC OUTPUT FROM THE NORTHERN CIRCUIT! They are already PROSPECTING FOR OIL WITH PROMISING RESULTS!!

  3. What animal is Musika- what is their agenda? Who is funding them? At least I know Zambeef is a company that attempted to poison all of Zambia with chemicals used for embalming also Zambeef is a company that pays its workers peanuts whilst its musungu racist bosses are giving themselves huge salaries. Nonsense project! Better for the state to set up its own commercial farms as was the case with Nchanga farms back in Super Ken’s time!

    • You miss the point…this is not about agriculture productivity perse but economic empowerment and creating the livelihood for small-scale farmers. Will state-owned farms like Nchanga farms resolve the issue of unemployment systematically? By the way, Nchanga farms were not sustainable but were heavily subsidised by ZCCM. It is such ventures that contributed to the under-capitalisation and eventual failure of ZCCM. As for Musika and what it is about, why don’t you ‘google’ it?

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