Indian farmers may soon be looking to Zambia for sugar with the southern African nation seeking India’s cooperation and investment in agricultural production.
In a meeting between a visiting Zambian business delegation and the Maharashtra Rural Development Minister Jayant Patil in Mumbai Wednesday, it was decided that a delegation of Indian commercial farmers will be visiting Zambia in December.
‘A group of Indian commercial farmers, mostly specialized in sugar production, is expected in Zambia in December to explore prospects of investing in Nansanga farm block in the central province, which the government has set aside for agricultural purposes,’ said an official of the Zambian High Commission here.
The Zambian delegation was led by Deputy Finance and National Planning Minister David Phiri and Deputy Commerce Minister, Lwipa Puma. The 15-member group arrived in India two weeks ago, and has spent the majority of its time meeting Indian officials and businessmen in Mumbai, the country’s business capital.
The delegation was ‘especially keen to learn about India’s successful experience from private-public partnership from agriculture to tourism’, the official said.
They visited and met with officials of Tata Group and Essar. While Tata group already has substantial investments in Zambia, Essar group, which has interests in steel, energy, power and minerals, has expressed interest in infrastructure development in the African country.
‘A total of 35 company chief executives, who had one-on-one discussions with our ministers, showed enthusiasm in visiting Zambia as soon as possible to identify projects in which they can invest,’ said the high commission official.
Among the Indian companies, Premium Hotels and Palaces have shown interest in building conference and hotel facilities near Zambia’s main tourist attraction, the Victoria Falls.
Indian companies have made investments amounting to $3 billion in Zambia, with Vedanta Resources alone making an investment of $1.6 billion in Zambia’s largest Konkola copper mines.
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” Indian farmers may soon be looking to Zambia for sugar with the southern African nation seeking India’s cooperation and investment in agricultural production. ”
No. No more ‘foreign investment’. No more foreign ownership of Zambian land and farms.
Everyone needs to get serious about developing ZAMBIAN agriculture, done by Zambians, for the benefit of Zambians.
This cult of giving away the economy when there is massive unemployment has to end.
ma rubbish. Cant we ourselves empower the streek kids,vendors and thousands of unemployed zambians to go into there own land and start kulima ama taba.
#1. MK the problem with you is that you think in compartments. Go back to the article about the Barotse Royal Establishment’s submissions to the NCC. Look at and understand their submissions. Do you see what there concern is? Land been parcelled out by govt to all and sundry in the name of Foreign investment without the say of the traditional custodians of the land. It is a pity that you joined in the chorus of those shouting abuse not only at the BRE but the entire Lozi ethnicity. I am quite sure that if those same concerns over land were raised by another traditiional house other than the BRE there wouldnt have been that kind of hysterical reaction bordering on NAZISM. That was pure hate!
No one has stopped Zambians from investing in Agriculture. No one has done this. Anyone is free to invest in Agriculture. Investment is not only limited to foreigners, Zambians can and should invest too. No one has stopped them.
Empower Zambians please.These Indians will start bringing Indian labourers.Just what is wrong with Zambia.Cant you see what is happening at KCM.Come in the morning and see how Indians in overalls are trooping for work as Zambians sit on the fences and rails watching all their jobs taken away.And by the way KCM has the worst management led by one arrogant Indian accountant .This guy is very arrogant ,he only has respect for top office in Lusaka.And you want to take over our land as you have taken over our mines putting incompetent managers You should know why people on the Copperbelt are anti MMD.Just see what goes on at KCM,non payment to suppliers and contractors and underpayment.Jobs done by Indians with Zambian managers with no authority at all Please spare us..
3 Rogers Lwiindi,
” MK the problem with you is that you think in compartments. Go back to the article about the Barotse Royal Establishment’s submissions to the NCC. Look at and understand their submissions. Do you see what there concern is? Land been parcelled out by govt to all and sundry in the name of Foreign investment without the say of the traditional custodians of the land. ”
I am all for traditional leadership owning the land in perpetuity. However, the BRE seems to have ambitions that go way beyond that. What gives them a claim on Southern Province? Or NW Province? And their claim on parts of surrounding countries is actually dangerous without long negotiation with those countries.
But I am all for taking ownership away from the President.
Mr Capitalist,
” No one has stopped them. ”
How about 23% interest rates? Or lots of red tape getting land? It is the government that is stopping Zambians from developing their own country, because of policies that continuously favour established foreign corporation. There is no sense of nationalism. In fewer words, neoliberal economic ‘free market’ theory has failed, and failed miserably.
Indians have a government that protects them, and their businesses. They have laws that prevent the likes of Shoprite or Wal-Mart from destroying family owned outlets. They have free primary education, just like Zambia used to have under UNIP, which was done away with by the free marketeers of the MMD. And look at the result.
War
Guys i must say that God is in control and he will make land available to who ever takes care of it the best and produces food to feed the poor and takes care of his workers say what you like it is written
National Bank for Agri and Rural Development (NABARD), India has set an office of its consultancy outfit NABARD Consultancy Services (NABCONS) in Nairobi for providing consultancy services to African and Indian clients in the African Region. This is a great opportunity. NABCONS, Nairobi can be reached on [email protected].
Shankar Pande
Business Head, Africa