Government has handed over a tractor to 10 women cooperatives in Senior Chief Mushili Munyemesha’s chiefdom in Masaiti district on the Copperbelt Province as part of the empowerment initiatives to promote agriculture productivity in the area.
The cooperatives that benefited are Munama Cooperatives, Kabwata Mupapa Cooperative, Saka Cooperative, Chankute Cooperative, and Mabungo Cooperative.
Others are Chinudo Cooperative, Shibukwe Cooperative, Mushili West, Masaiti Seed Growers, and Kwesha Cooperatives.
Acting Minister of Gender, Sylvia Chalikosa, has called for enhanced training and capacity building for women cooperatives in the district.
Ms Chalikosa who is also Minister in the Office of the Vice president stressed the need for more engagement and stronger linkages to realise the gender agenda in the country.
The Minister has since called for collaboration among different stakeholders in line with the Seventh National Development Plan (7NDP) which priorities working collectively rather than as individuals.
“We are all guided by the Seventh National Development Plan which espouses the need to work in clusters and not as single entities. The success of government programmes like this one cannot be left entirely to one ministry but all departments in line ministries at national, provincial, and district levels,” she said.
The Minister further revealed that 120 out of 288 chiefdoms countrywide have so far benefitted 71 tractors and 94 tillers since the programme was initiated.
Earlier, Senior Chief Mushili Munyemesha of the Lamba people called for government to continue implementing projects that benefit rural people in the country.
Speaking through his wife, Jessie Mushili, during a courtesy call paid on him by the minister, the traditional leader said people were eager to participate in development programmes in the country to uplift their living standards.
Meanwhile, Acting District Cooperatives Development Officer, Charles Zimba, has encouraged the cooperatives to consider using the tractor as an income generating tool.
Mr Zimba said once the tractor is used like a business, the cooperatives would be able to prudently maximize the facility as well as ensure sustainability.
Mr Zimba disclosed that a committee comprised of the 10 cooperatives and other stakeholders has since been constituted to ensure accountability in the use of the tractor in the district.
“We want to see the committee come up with a schedule as well as a model of earning revenue from it. This is so that the tractor can be used to benefit every person who is targeted to benefit” he said.
And the Chiefs and Traditional Affairs Officer, Mutaba Akasholobelwa, has pledged to work closely with the women cooperatives in the chiefdom to ensure effective use of the tractor.
Mr Akasholobelwa said it was the desire of his ministry to see that the tractor benefits the women from the grassroots of the chiefdom
“We want to make sure the tractor is not abused but that the actual women on the ground in the chiefdom are the ones making use of the tractor,”
The working government! Camubaba Hagain! Childish! How do you get H-angry because of good things someone is doing for the people? Unless you eat bitter herbs for breakfast, bitter Herbs for lunch and bitter Herbs for supper, you will never be H-angry. HE WILL NEVER BE PRESIDENT IN ZAMBIA!
you’r a w.h.o.le
Just provide more training and technical support to the co-operatives
Is there any particular reason for government only supporting females?
How about boys/men?
This is another policy that will serve to break families apart and will result in animosity between women and men.
Christian nation?
Yeah right.
NO ITS JUST PART OF PF’S CAMPAIGN TO WIN ELECTIONS – THEY NOT WORRIED ABOUT UPLIFTING THE POOR THEY JUST WANT TO WIN
Old saying. …educate a woman and you educate the whole village. Most rural men just lazy around while their wives do piece work on farms. The husband only waits for two things namely money from the wife for kachasu and the evening so that he can sleep with his hard working wife.
HOW COULD THE MINISTER CHALIKOSA BE ATTENDED TO BY A CHIEFS WIFE? WHERE WAS THE CHIEF? THATS ABUSE OF POWER A CHIEF SPOUSE IS NOT A CHIEF SPOKESPERSON NEITHER CLOSE TO THE CHIEF HIERACHY (SP) TO BE A CHIEF ITS BY INHERITANCE A WIFE NEEDS NOT SPEAK ON BEHALF OF CHIEF IF CHIEF IS BUSY AN INDUNA CAN SPEAK. MALOZI KUPUSA CHABE UKU IF IT WAS UPND IN GOVERNMENT CHIEF COULDNT DO SUCH A MISTAKE
Hahaha please forgive the chief. Maybe he was busy supervising the brewing of Kangala.