Thursday, March 28, 2024

Zambia army aquires 2000 hectares of land for Agriculture Activities

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Chief Machiya of the Lamba speaking people in Mpongwe signs a consent giving the zambia army access to 2000 hecters for cultivation purposes. picture by Keith Maila.
Chief Machiya of the Lamba speaking people in Mpongwe signs a consent giving the zambia army access to 2000 hecters for cultivation purposes.
picture by Keith Maila.

The Zambia army has acquired 2000 hectares of land from chief Machiya of the Lamba speaking people in Mpongwe district.

According to a letter issued by army chief of corporative resettlement and estate brigadier general Charles Shapi to Mpongwe district council secretary Francis Nkhoma dated 17 March 2017, the land acquisition is in line with President Edgar Lungu’s directive for the army to venture into agriculture activities.

According to the correspondence, the army intends to cultivate 600 hectares of Maize, 300 hectares of vegetables, 1000 hectares of cattle ranching and 100 fish ponds.
The project is expected to commence this year and will focus on land clearance and preparation for maize cultivation for the next farming season.

The project will be managed by the Zambia army using skilled manpower and as well as external resources available.

The overall objective of the project is in line with government’s agriculture policy of increasing food production and diversification of the present farming system so as to attain sustainable food security and poverty reduction.

Specific objectives of the project include making the army self sustainable in food production, contribute to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP), contribute to the country’s national food security and create jobs for the locals.

“The farm has a lot of potential for the variety of farming activities because of its vast virgin land, good soil fertilizer, good rainfall and natural water for irrigation purposes” he said.

Chief Machiya of the Lamba speaking people in Mpongwe signs a consent giving the zambia army access to 2000 hecters for cultivation purposes. picture by Keith Maila.
Chief Machiya of the Lamba speaking people in Mpongwe signs a consent giving the zambia army access to 2000 hecters for cultivation purposes.
picture by Keith Maila.

18 COMMENTS

  1. Way to go ba chief Machiya. Let the army start farming mbanje on a big scale. “Nanyapo naumfwa bwino” as Lambas would say…

  2. Another forest cleared, any environmental impact assessment?NO.

    more erratic rainfall years to come, floods and dry spells.

    Just when southern province is slowly been aforested, after years of forest clearing to pave way for agricultural activities, other once high rainfall areas are having their forests been indiscriminately destroyed to pave way for agricultural land too.

  3. Exactly what do they mean by “external resources available”? I am confused. Does it mean Zambia Army must depend on external resources to grow things on this land? I know that one cannot use armoured cars or tanks to plough the land, but they can blow it up! Surely they should have people capable to run tractors, soil testing, fertilizing, etc. Can someone clarify what “External Resources available” means?

  4. Since when did Army become expert farmers? Let the Army focus on what they’re hired to do and create a conducive market driven environment where farmers can do what they do best.

    • This is just another scam to use labour and inputs paid for by the taxpayers, and then pocket the money!

      Will the army see anything produced by this?

      No! It is just another way to steal and money launder the proceeds.

  5. This is good news, the soldiers have sitting, idling for a long time. Its time they did something tangible. This is the way to go. Imagine if we could have ten state farms in all the provinces, we could be self sustaining in food production. Instead of procuring those Chinese fake milling plants and offloading cheap maize on the market, this is a long term solution that will go a long way. These men and women in uniform can contribute to the GDP of the nation if supported with equipment and inputs on time before the next farming. Let the land be used for the intended purpose and nothing else. Thumbs up on this one.

  6. James Phiri you are 100% correct. This is because the army needs to be selfsuffivient. That is government doesnt have to pay for food. Am sure local farmers/suppliers to the army will not have a market. Where does their income come from. You are competing with your own people.
    Fix one problem create another.Are they soldiers or farmers.
    Suppose we have use our soldiers to defend our country, what do we say, wait til we get the boys from the farm.
    Very strange thinking

    • Very Strange indeed. You employ and train people to soldiers and convert them into farm labourers . Its a case poor planning. A short while ago the National Service promised to sort out the maize and Mealie meal shortages. This is on the back burner and new on the block is the Army.

      300 Hectares for vegetables ! They want to feed the world! The issue of self sufficiency in food production will NEVER be resolved by the Army, or a trip to Israel.

    • ZA is now also involved in construction they will fighting for contracts with the poor Zambian private contractor, who has greedy ministers’ companies to contend with …we have visionless fooool in State House, who can not create proper policies or consult technocrats. Next you will see that most of the equipment is being single sourced straight from Israel – that’s how these crooks promote investments through kick backs.

  7. THIS IS WORST DECISION THAT THE ECL GOVERNMENT HAS DONE. PLEASE GIVE THE LAND TO THE PEOPLE. THE ARMY OFFICERS WITH THE POLITICIANS WILL BE THE ONE BENEFITING INSTEAD OF ORDINARY CITIZENS. ZAMBIANS ARE WATCHING THEIR RESOURCES BEING TAKEN OVER BY FEW PEOPLE. IF YOU WANT TO DEVELOP THE COUNTRY PLEASE EMPOWER INDIVIDUAL CITIZENS AND NOT THE ARMY. WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU ZAMBIANS?

  8. They should focus first on import substitution projects like equipment and other items for their combat gear. The army is supposed to be the country leader in hi tech.

  9. What has happened to ZNS? Now you want the army! What a mess! Money for guns you buy tractors and all officers share them. It is a scam.

    • These are the results of having Grade 12 Certificate holder handling major services like the Army. The guys is at’ Can you remember’ level of thinking !

  10. So what does this mean –

    “The project will be managed by the Zambia army using skilled manpower and as well as external resources available.”

    Are you telling us they are skilled farmers in ZA….realyl laughable..people wake up and read the small print. They want to use slave labour- the soldiers to do the work for free whilst they sell the produce on the market and pocket the the profits. This Lazy Bum clearly has no vision issuing directive after silly directive, last week it was Army be involved in construction of shopping malls and other building projects.
    This bum has already wasted $200m on useless Solar Hammer mills now he wants to misuse our boys in green…why cant you just let them be soldiers?

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