Zambia Cooperative Federation Regional Coordinator, Lloyd Kanyungu, says local communities across North-Western Province have continued to have access to solar energy initiatives implemented by the government through the Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises.
Mr Kanyungu says the 100 solar milling plants dotted in all the districts in the province have enhanced access to affordable mealie meal and other food supplements for the local communities.
Speaking in an interview with the media in Solwezi, Mr Kanyungu disclosed that th e solar milling plants are dotted in all the districts to provide maize processing services to the far flung places.
He added that the government remains committed to ensuring communities have equal access to energy services and as such the installation of the solar energy milling plants is testament of its commitment.
Mr Kanyungu said community members were made to walk long distances to process their maize into mealie meal and sample, but that is not the case now as milling plants have been brought as close to their homes as possible.
He revealed that the initiative could not have come at a better time than this when the country has continued to grapple with load shedding.
Mr Kanyungu further added that the Zambia Cooperative Federation promotes value addition and urged all cooperatives in the province to utilise the initiative by producing maize in large quantities and process it into maize meal for income generation.
He also noted that the processing of maize meal by cooperatives will help with complimenting government’s effort in cushioning food security at household level and in the country at large.
‘‘The solar milling plants have been placed in all the 11 Districts of North – Western Province to allow the communities to process their maize as close to the homes as possible.
“As ZCF, we want all cooperatives to take interest in growing enough maize that will be processed into Maize meal and sold at a cheaper price,” he said.
Micheal Mbangu, a worker at a milling plant situated in Zangamenu and being managed by Natco Multipurpose Cooperative, expressed gratitude to the government for bringing solar milling plants in the communities, adding that it has created employment to youths.
‘’This intervention is highly commendable and I want to thank the government for bringing such services that are improving our livelihoods. Natco Cooperative has employed me here to work for them and when they pay me, I am able to take care of my family,”Mr Mbangu said.
He further appealed to the government to also consider electrifying the milling plants to enable them to function in rainy season, adding the province usually experiences heavy rains and during such times there is little to no sunlight.
