Water Development and Sanitation Minister Mike Mposha have praised Amatheon Agri Zambia Limited for its investment into value addition and rural livelihoods in Zambia.
Mr. Mposha said this when he officially launched the new spices and superfoods processing plants by Amatheon Agri Zambia Limited as the company celebrated its 10 year anniversary of operations in Zambia.
“Amatheon Agri Zambia is a leading example of an integrated and inclusive farming model and today, we proudly open these facilities to supply Zambian spices to the world,” he said.
And speaking at the same occasion, the Minister of Agriculture Mtolo Phiri thanked Amatheon Agri Zambia Limited for opening new and advanced processing facilities for spices and superfoods in Mumbwa district.
Mr. Phiri stated that such developments will help raise the profile of Zambian products in the international markets.
“The impact of these new processing facilities will be felt not just in Mumbwa district but in the Zambian agriculture sector as a whole,” he said.
And Ambassador of Germany to Zambia, Anne Wagner-Mitchell, is impressed with the progress that Amatheon Agri is making in value addition, stating that the value addition is beneficial for the whole region.
Meanwhile, Amatheon Agri Zambia Managing Director Troy Minne, disclosed that his company is exporting top quality and certified products.
Mr. Minne said without the investments in the processing facilities, growing chilies and superfoods was not feasible in the area.
“We are very proud of all that has been achieved over the past decade. It is a result of a highly motivated team and close cooperation with all stakeholders. With this base, we look forward to furthering success in the coming 10 years too,” he said.
Amatheon Agri pioneered superfood production in Zambia and began supplying chia seeds and quinoa to European markets in 2019.
Since then, the company has expanded its portfolio and volume and introduced the products to smallholder farmers in its out-grower programme with the rural farmers.
Why’s such low-tech industrialisation beyond our technocrats after more than 50 yrs of teaching science, business, economics and engineering in Zambia? Have I pricked anyone’s conscience?
This is great news. It’s these kind of ideas that can uplift Zambians. Ministers, please provide your support to Zambians who wish to pursue these lines of industry.