Thursday, March 28, 2024

Ambassordor Anthony Mukwita advises Zambian youth regarding quinoa crop

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Zambian youth must organise themselves into some form of agriculture cooperative’s and take advantage of the market base provided by German agro investor Amatheon, said Zambia´s Ambassador to Germany H.E Anthony Mukwita.

Ambassador Mukwita said the time is ripe now because Amatheon is buying a ´new crop´ in the country called quinoa pronounced as keenwah pegged at a price better than maize or other traditional crops Zambia farms.

The senior diplomat who has had various engagements with Amatheon CEO and founder Carl Bruhn said Zambia youth and indeed anyone willing to ´get their hands dirty´ productively could make a decent living growing and selling the cash crop to Bruhn´s outfit at Amatheon.

The facts on the ground are that, the crop is compatible to Zambia´s good climate and rich soils and fetches more money than corn or maize does and Bruhn’s team is willing to buy it at about K720 ($40) per 50kg bag compared to a measly K110 a 50kg bag of maize fetches.

“I have no doubt that if a group of Zambian youths organised themselves into a corporative cluster with an investment plan, they would access money to grow quinoa and make lots of money because Amatheon has not put a cap to how much of the crop they can buy for export purposes,” said Ambassador Mukwita.

H.E Mukwita who is scheduled to meet the Amatheon boss Bruhn soon said agriculture, as Zambia and the world gets out of the COVID cloud, could be a positive game changer instead of holding political revolts online.

“Our diligent Zambian youth could turn tables around and show that they have the ability to do the right thing,” Ambassador Mukwita said.

He said, “I have no doubt that the President H.E Edgar Lungu would find ways or money to support the first batch of youths that stand and say they are willing to get into this agriculture venture and many others no doubt at all.”

In May, Ambassador Mukwita and Amatheon´ s Bruhn started the first discussions on quinoa which is just one of the many projects Bruhn is involved in Zambia after investing millions of euros in the country.

Carl Bruhn employs about 650 Zambians directly that pay taxes and more than 2000 out growers.

He is the single largest individual German investor in Zambia and has a close work relationship with the embassy of Zambia in Berlin said Ambassador Mukwita.

This is according to a statement issued by Kellys Kaunda, the First Secretary for Press and Public Relations at the embassy of Zambian in Germany.

15 COMMENTS

  1. There is too much talk about youth this and that. It appears everyone just go around thr circle without hitting the nail on the head.

    Such initiatives are very good but lacks political will. Where are the youth going to get funding for such investments?

    Even youth grants are not accessible to all the youth but rather PF youths only.

    PF must go!

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  2. There is nothing new about high price earning crops in Zambia. Growing quinoa crop in Zambia, just like virginia tobacco or soya beans that fetch higher price per kilo than what Tobacco Board Zambia (TBZ), ZNFU or Tobacco Association of Zambia. These are not opportunities to be preached to the Zambian youths. In the first instance, the Zambian government must secure competitive markets for these crops and let the existing farmers that already produce these crops be accorded these high price earning markets and increase production with improved methods of farming complying with requirements of that markets regimes. For example; does ambassador Mukwita know that bee wax is on high demand in Germany industry earning more than actual honey from bees. These are some exploits the ambassador…

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  3. can take interest in knowing that Zambia produces tons of honey from which wax is just discarded. Ambassador give us innovative findings of new business opportunities based on novelty and creativity.

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  4. YOUTHS OF ZAMBIA (I mean PF VIOLENT CADRE YOUTHS)..Please take advantage of this good initiative by HE Tony Ton Mukwita…. And dont forget to read the good inspiring BOOK he wrote about ECL….. FOR THE REST OF THE YOUTHS YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO IN 2021

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  5. Lusambo , i want us to meet and talk not strengthening the boys and youth of zambia , just tell your Boss to learn leadrship , since visioning has totally failed

  6. Maize sells at K110 per 50 kg bag not because it is cheaper but because the price is RIGGED by the Zambian government’s agent of doom FRA. In the UK, Iwisa maize from South Africa sells at K1,800 per 50 kg. If the Zambian government allowed Zambian farmers to EXPORT their maize to the highest bidder, they would be reaping dividends just like white South African farmers. The thing I can say in favour of Quinoa is that it can be a good substitute for nshima in Zambia.

  7. Not very informative reporting by LT. This is entirely new and would require extension service from the monopoly buyer of the crop. Secondly, wht secondary products come out of this crop? Where else in the world is it being grown? Is there a global price? Is it environmentally positive?

  8. Immaculate ambassadors. Great work. The majority of the wise youth we have here will take advtangr of this. I know for sure. However, it is the minority few who tried to protest yesterday who will go back to their parents houses and continue sleeping all day and using toilet while crying that there are no opportunities. These are dull lazy youth. They need a shamboko some of them to wake them up.

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  9. Yes, let’s give them that forest they were demonstrating at the other day and give them tractors, seeds, agriculture specialists at hand for advice. Good idea.

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