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Farmers in Mkushi district in Central Province have expressed happiness with the pace at which the distribution of farming inputs through the electronic voucher system is being undertaken.
Speaking to ZANIS this afternoon, Mukula Simambwe a small scale farmer said he was excited that he has received his farming inputs in good time ahead of the farming season.
Mr. Simambwe said unlike politicising the e-voucher system, people should embrace it and be thankful that government has come to the aid of many farmers who otherwise could not afford to by the farming inputs.
He explained that instead of wasting time in criticising government, farmers should concentrate on farming activities in order to harvest good yields as a compliment towards government’s efforts to empower them.
And Howard Musanza another small scale farmer said he has realised a lot of progress in the e-voucher system from the time it was initiated to-date, adding that he has confident that the system will keep improving and the challenges it may have yesterday will be a thing of the past.
And Mkushi District Agriculture Coordinating Officer, Reuben Kabiti confirmed to ZANIS that farmers started redeeming their inputs on December 7th, 2018.
He said over 13,000 farmers from the initial targeted 17,094 farmers, were able to make deposits and that over 3,000 farmers have already redeemed their inputs.
However, Mr. Kabiti said there have been reports of agro-dealers refusing to release inputs to farmers until they receive payment from government.
“This is an illegal practice which can attract a penalty as they risk being de-registered”, he said.
Mr. Kabiti explained that the exercise was moving smoothly despite the mentioned challenge.
FILE: President Edgar Lungu with Vice President Mrs Inonge Wina and UNIP SG Jekwa Anamela at Intercontinal Hotel during the Electroral Commission of Zambia briefing of 2016 elections meeting for Aspiring Candidates and other agents on 28th May 2016- Picture By Eddie Mwanaleza/Statehouse.
Calls for President Edgar Lungu to be Patriotic Front (PF) s sole candidate for the 2021 general elections have continued to grow, despite the party’s constitution having a provision that allows any member to challenge the incumbent at the party convention to be held before the general elections.
In the latest support for this call, PF youths in Northern Province have unanimously endorsed the candidature of President Edgar Lungu as the party’s sole candidate for the 2021 general elections.
This came to light when scores of Patriotic Front (PF) youths staged a solidarity march in support of President Lungu in Kasama yesterday.
Speaking on behalf of the jubilant youths, Malamba Sichilima said PF youth members in the district are in total support of President Lungu’s candidature in the next presidential election as upheld by the Constitutional Court.
He observed that the Head of State’s leadership qualities and approach to national development has been exceptional and that Northern Province has benefited from the equitable distribution of the national wealth.
Mr. Sichilima added that the party President has continued to adhere to his developmental agenda for the country and as such deserves another term of office in 2021, in order to continue fostering development in the various sectors of the economy.
He charged that the unprecedented infrastructure development such as the construction of the Youth Skills Training centres taking in the province will empower many young people to acquire survival skills.
Mr. Sichilima further said the ongoing construction of schools and health posts by government has helped to create job opportunities for youths in the Province.
Meanwhile, PF Lunte district Youth Chairperson Charles Kapembwa praised President Lungu for running an inclusive government.
He said as a result many PF members and Zambians in general were impressed with his leadership style.
Mr. Sichilima has since called on ruling party members in Northern Province to continue rallying behind the PF top leadership in order to foster unity of purpose in the party.
And Muchinga Province PF Women’s Chairperson Mary Chifuna said that the decision by the Constitutional Court to declare President Lungu eligible to stand in the General Elections in 2021 is a victory for all party members.
Ms Chifuna said the court ruling is good for the party to continue preparing for the 2021 general elections.
She stated that the party in the province has already adopted President Lungu as its sole candidate in the 2021 general elections.
Ms Chifuna added that the ConCourt ruling has just consolidated the party’s resolve and decision to have President Lungu as its candidate in the 2021 General Elections.
She observed that President Lungu is very popular and people’s best preferred choice for presidency hence the fever and panic in some opposition political parties .
Ms. Chifuna said the party is strong in the province and has continued to mobilise itself in readiness for the 2021 general elections.
The ConCourt yesterday ruled that President Lungu is eligible to contest the 2021 General Elections.
Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet for Smart Zambia Dr. Martine Mtonga
Smart Zambia National Coordinator Martin Mtonga says the use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in the agriculture sector has helped address some challenges faced in the distribution of farming inputs under the Farmer Input Support Program (FISP).
Dr. Mtonga said through the use of ICT, government has sealed the loop-holes that earlier caused problems in the effective implementation of FISP across the country.
He explained that so far over 800, 000 out of the one million targeted farmers have responded positively to the electronic voucher system.
Dr. Mtonga, who is also Deputy Secretary to Cabinet, E-Government Division, revealed that Northern Province is one of the regions in the country responding positively to the FISP programme.
He notes that currently two systems are being implemented in the Province namely, the direct input support system and the card-less redeeming system.
Dr. Mtonga adds that government remains committed to improving service provision through the implementation of ICT in various sectors of the economy such as agriculture.
He was speaking in Kasama today when he addressed government officials with regards to the implementation of E-government systems in Northern Province.
Meanwhile, Dr Mtonga has handed over a brand new motor Nissan Hard-body vehicle on behalf of government, bought at a cost of over K200, 000 to the Northern Province Administration, meant for the implementation of ICT programmes in the province.
He explained that government is aware of the challenges being faced by people in the districts, hence the initiative to procure a vehicle to enhance government operations in the region.
Dr. Mtonga has since urged the Provincial Administration to put the donated vehicle to good use.
And speaking after receiving the new vehicle, Acting Deputy Permanent Secretary Sineva Kambenja thanked the Smart Zambia Institute for rolling out the e-government systems and services to Northern Province.
UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema has commended UPND members of parliament and other MPs that voted against the bill by government to increase various taxes on fuel,motor vehicles among others.
The bill went through in parliament with the backing of Patriotic Front Members of Parliament who are in the majority in the house.
Mr Hichilema says the UPND and other progressive members of parliament and citizens at large, opposed these taxes because Zambians are already overtaxed.
He says from an economic point of view, tax increments such as that on fuel will increase the cost of transport for passengers, merchandise and services leading to a continued rise in the cost of living.
Mr Hichilema adds that these taxes do not stimulate economic growth and job creation as the cost of doing business for many citizens and businesses is stifled.
He notes that already, mining companies and other industries are reducing their workforce due to the high cost of doing business.
The UPND leader says this means there will be increases in lots of taxes in the 2019 budget because of the PF that voted in support of these taxes.
Mr Hichilema states that it now remains to the rest of the wider population who are the real masters to use the people power and prevail.
President Edgar Lungu is escorted by Chief Chikanta after he paid a coutesy call on him at his palace
Traditional leaders in Africa have asked President Edgar Lungu to lobby for a permanent seat for them in the African Union ((AU) ahead of the summit next year.
The Chiefs in Africa wants a permanent seat for traditional and cultural leaders to work together with national government on the transformation of African cultures and customary issues affecting the continent.
The traditional leaders are hoping that if they are given a seat in the AU, they could work together with governments as well as AU to dialogue on the preservation and transformation of African cultures and on developmental issues and customary issues that affect African governments.
Chief Chikanta who led a delegation of chiefs to state house said the traditional leaders in are lobbying for a seat through President Lungu who is AU champion in the fight to end child marriages on the continent of Africa.
Chief Chikanta led a delegation of chiefs to state house to meet President Lungu to brief him of the outcomes of the consultations and dialogue meetings they held with traditional leaders and cultural institutions on ending child marriages and female genital mutilation in African held in Malawi and Nigeria.
The traditional leader also told the head of state that the chiefs from across Africa also want the President to lobby the African Union and partners to scale up resources in support of the implementation of Africa Traditional Leaders’ action plan to address child marriage, female genital mutilation and promote gender equality at country, regional and continental levels.
Chief Chikanta also requested the President to call for a National Indaba for the 288 chiefs to be held in 2019 to develop common strategies to harmonise customary laws on customary marriage and child protection so as to align them to statutory laws.
And President Lungu said he will take into account the proposals of the traditional leaders as he goes for to the AU summit in January next year.
The President said there was need to do more as a continent in the fight to end child marriages, but noted that Zambia has made stride hence the country leading the fight.
The Head of state said most of the bad cultural practices in Zambia have since been discarded except for male circumcision which he also doubted if it was being done in the traditional circles.
He said he will engage stakeholders and partners on the hosting of the chiefs’ national indaba to see if they can help with logistical support because the proposed event has not been budgeted for in the 2019 national budget.
President Lungu thanked the chiefs for working with government in the fight to end child marriages and urged them to extend the gesture to other sectors of the economy where their efforts would be valuable.
The chiefs’ entourage consisted of Chief Chikwanda of Muchinga Province, Chief Chikanta of Central Province, Chief Madzimawe of Eastern Province and Chieftainess Muwezwa of Northwestern Province.
Higher Education Minister Nkandu Luo says no single university in Zambia has been downgraded to a college status by Oxford University contrary to social media rumors.
In a ministerial statement on the alleged downgrading of university in Zambia to college status, Professor Luo says it is not possible for a single university in the United Kingdom to downgrade all university in Zambia.
She says the requirements for a candidate to obtain a Rhodes scholarship for study at Oxford University did not refer to the downgrading of any university in Zambia.
Professor Luo explains that the requirement by the Rhodes scholarship selection committee for a Zambian scholar to get additional qualifications in the neighboring countries was necessitated by the difference in the grading of qualifications between Zambia and the UK with regard to honours degrees.
She says additional requirements of an additional year to obtain honours qualification outside Zambia does not mean downgrading of Zambian universities, but that this is necessitated by the structure of the Zambian
FILE: Former Chief Justice Ernest Sakala (l), Livingstone High Court judge in charge Ernest Mukulwamutiyo (c) and UNICEF chief child protection Amanda Bissex (r) during the commissioning the holding cells and Magistrates’ Chambers at Livingstone High Court
A 94-member Southern African Development Community (SADC) Observation Electoral Mission (SOEM) has been launched in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, ahead of the 2018 presidential, legislative and provincial elections to be held in the next ten days.
According to the statement released to the Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Public Relations Unit in Lusaka today, 73 out of the 94 members are field observers supported by a core team of 18 technical staff from the SADC secretariat while three are SADC Electoral Advisory Council (SEAC) members.
Head of the SADC Electoral Observation Mission, Ernest Sakala, who represented President Edgar Lungu, says the team will assess the conduct of the elections against a set of central principles stipulated in the revised SADC principles and guidelines governing democratic elections.
President Lungu is the Chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation.
Justice Sakala said the principles are the full participation of the citizens in the political process, freedom of association, assembly and expression, equal opportunity for all political parties to access the state media, civic and voter education, acceptance and respect for the official election results by political parties and settlement of electoral disputes as provided for in the law.
He said the mission was preceded by the deployment of the SADC Electoral Advisory Council to DRC in July and November, 2018.
Mr Sakala explained that the advisory council was to inform the ministerial committee of the organ on appropriate action to be taken in support of the electoral process.
He said after interaction with various Congolese stakeholders, a number of concerns were raised such as the introduction and use of the electronic voting machine, the urgent need to remove from the voters’ roll approximately six million voters who were registered without biometrical data and the insufficient voter education intervention as a result of limited financial resources.
Other concerns were the outbreak of Ebola virus in Ituri and Nort Kivu provinces and the presence of armed insurgents in the eastern part of the country, particularly in Beni.
Justice Sakala said the electoral advisory council also acknowledged the United Nations Security Council’s resolution of October 30, 2018, calling for the immediate cessation of hostilities by all armed groups operating in these areas.
He said SADC has since deployed troops to Eastern DRC under the Force Intervention Brigade (FIB), which operates under the UN Organisation Stabilization Mission in the Congo, with the specific aim of neutralizing the negative forces.
Justice Sakala has since appealed to all stakeholders to ensure that elections are managed in a peaceful, transparent and credible manner and encouraged all eligible voters to brave the weather and turn out in large numbers.
He said the mission is looking forward to an electoral process that adheres to democratic values and principles.
And SADC Executive Secretary, Stergomena Tax has called upon all Congolese to use the opportunity to remain calm, united and allow the democratic dispensation to take its course.
The observers are drawn from Angola, Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The DRC general elections are scheduled to be held on December 23, 2018.
Zambia failed to finish third at the 2018 COSAFA U20 Cup after losing 2-1 to Angola in the third and fourth playoff at Nkana Stadium in Kitwe on Thursday.
Emmanuel Mwiinde broke the deadlock after a scoreless first half in the 47th minute to put Zambia ahead.
But Angola equalized in the 79th minute through Melono and four minutes later man of the match Luvumbo sealed the win and the bronze medal.
Zambia’s consolation after another disappointing COSAFA U20 was going home with the fair play award.
Zambia were eliminated in the group stage last year to see them relinquish the title they won in December 2016 in South Africa.
Meanwhile, South Africa retained the COSAFA U20 title for a second successive year following a 4-3 post match penalty victory over Zimbabwe after a 1-1 draw.
It was South Africa’s seventh title to make them the second most successful country in the tournament after Zambia on 11 triumphs.
File:,President Edgar Lungu confers with Chairman of the Board of Directors Bank of China Guoli Tian (r) while Chinese Ambassador Yang Youming listerns when the delegation called on the President at State House
President Edgar Lungu this morning met the China International Water and Electric Cooperation delegation that intends to invest into the construction of Batoka and Kalungwishi hydro power stations.
The delegation met President Lungu at state house today to express their interest to invest in the two hydro power stations.
ZANIS reports that Company general manager (1a)Lui Zengxue said his company would like to build the power station on a Public Private Partnership (PPP) basis with the Zambian government if the tender is accepted.
Mr. Zengxue said his company is willing to work with the Zambian government in the energy sector to implement hypo power project, solar and wind energy projects.
And speaking to journalists after the meeting, Minister of Energy (1b) Matthew Nkhuwa said his Ministry has received about 15 letters from bidders who have expressed interest to build Kalungwishi and Batoka hydro power stations.
Mr. Nkhuwa said the successful bidder will be picked and announced once the process is done.
He said government is undertaking a transparent selection process by allowing all interested investors to tender for the projects.
The minister disclosed that the successful bidder will only be picked once the feasibility studies have been conducted by the World Bank.
He said the World Bank is currently conducting feasibility studies to evaluate the cost of the project but stated that the project may gooble in access of US$4.5 billion.
Minister of Infrastructure and Housing Ronald Chitotela
Government is concerned with deliberate efforts by some people aimed at misleading and mis-informing the public on its agenda to transform the country through infrastructure development.
Minister of Housing and Infrastructure development Ronald Chitotela says there has been a lot of misinformation about the price of constructing Michael Chilufya Sata Toll plaza, the integrated tolling system and the House of the Fourth Republican president.
Delivering a ministerial statement in Parliament today, Mr Chitotela said contrary to assertions that the toll plaza cost 52 million Kwacha, the true cost of the toll plaza is about 38.2 million Kwacha.
Mr Chitotela said claims that other countries in the region have built infrastructure similar in size and quality at just 500,000 US Dollars are not only untrue but intended to mislead the people of Zambia.
He said so far six point seven million Kwacha has been collected from the toll plaza which is the largest in the country from the date it was commissioned by President Edgar Lungu, this year.
And Mr Chitotela says it is not true that government single sourced for a firm to implement the integrated road traffic management and tolling system.
He said Lamise Trading limited in association with Kapsch Trafficcom, incorporated in Zambia as Intelligent Mobility Solutions, were picked to operate the integrated road traffic management from four competing proposals.
The companies that competed inclued MTM/ KZM traffix of South Africa, Grandview International of Zambia and Romania, Fischer Consulting of South Africa, and Rashmitha Information Systems from India.
He said Lamise Trading limited with Kapsch Trafficcom also submitted an unsolicited proposal to the Road Development Agency-RDA- for a separate tolling solution.
The solution was to be integrated with the Road Transport and Safety Agency-RTSA- system but negotiations were terminated by the Public Private Partnerships council because it was not in the best interest of Zambians.
Mr Chitotela said the wrong impression and deliberate mis-information that RTSA has already signed the concession agreement with Intelligent Mobility Solutions are incorrect, dishonest and unfounded.
He told the House that the issue of comparing the cost of the house of the fourth republican president to the Michael Chilufya Sata Toll Plaza, is irrational.
Mr Chitotela said the two facilities have completely different facilities and have no basis of comparing their costs due to the differences in design, scope and requirements.
As a sequel to the last article, we continue to discuss the exploits of the PF in the last 7 (seven) years 2011-2018. Since PF formed Government in 2011 under the late President Mr. Michael Sata (MHSRIP)–and currently under His Excellency President Edgar Chagwa Lungu – the national development agenda of the Patriotic Front (PF) has always been guided by three (03) strategic documents, namely: The Patriotic Front Manifesto(s);The National Development Plans (NDPs)The Vision 2030.
7NDP is underpinned by five strategic pillars namely: Economic Diversification and Job Creation; Poverty and Vulnerability Reduction; Enhancing Human Development; Environment for a Diversified and Inclusive Economy; Reducing Developmental Inequalities.
The following is snippet of the numerous ways the PF is on course in achieving the desired outcome under the first Pillar:
A DIVERSIFIED AND EXPORT-ORIENTED AGRICULTURE SECTOR LEVERAGED ON IMPROVING PRODUCTION AND PRODUCTIVITY FROM FARM TO AGRO-PROCESSING AND MANUFACTURING
Just a few days ago, Zambia entered a higher dimension in the advancement of irrigation agriculture, when His Excellency President Edgar Chagwa commissioned the 61 million cubic metres water storage capacity Mwomboshi Dam and reservoir in Chisamba district, Central Province.
The Mwomboshi Dam project is an indelible impression of the Patriotic Front government’s monumental progress in infrastructure development aimed at fostering national development through agriculture and agro-processing.
Its construction of the dam is in fulfilment of the 7NDP and Patriotic Front manifesto on increasing management and utilisation of water resources for agricultural development.
Management and utilisation of water resources for agricultural development In line with the PF Manifesto and 7NDP will be achieved by constructing at least one large scale dam per province such as Mwomboshi to irrigate massive areas of land, establish irrigation schemes and facilitate private investment in dams and irrigation infrastructure among other actions.
This is essential to our achieving the desired outcome of a Diversified and Export-Oriented Agriculture Sector leveraged on Improving Production and Productivity from Farm to Agro-Processing and Manufacturing.
The Patriotic Front administration of President Lungu accordingly endeavours to replicate bulk water irrigation infrastructure projects like Mwomboshi across the country.
The Aquaculture Development programme:
Aquaculture also known as Aqua-farming, refers to the breeding, rearing and harvesting of all water organisms including aquatic plants.
However, aquaculture in Zambia is mainly restricted to fish farming owing to its high demand on the Zambian market (www.agriculture.gov.zm). The PF Government is currently, developing aquaculture through several projects.
For example instance -on 22nd October, 2017, President Edgar Lungu launched the USD 50million Aquaculture Project.
Another notable development is the 5-year US Dollar 50.89 million African Development Bank (AfDB) funded project running from 2017 to 2022, to which the Zambian Governments contribution of funding is 10.8%.
The project is expected to benefit about 1, 200 fish farmers and entrepreneurs comprising 50% women and youth in the identified high-potential aquaculture areas. There will also be approximately fifty thousand (50,000) indirect beneficiaries consisting of entrepreneurs in the aquaculture value chain such as fish processes, fish traders, fish transporters and employees.
The project is expected to foster an enabling environment for the supply of 98 million fingerings which are key necessities in fish farming. The project is crucial to helping our nation diversify its economy, reduce youth unemployment and poverty.
There are many other PF achievements in Aqua Culture sub-sector. The following is but a glimpse into the voluminous catalogue these exploits:
Apart from the US Dollar 20 million Aquaculture Investment Plan (employing over 600 people) which the PF Government has set up in Siavonga District the PF Government is also promoting cage fish farming on lakes Mweru, Kariba, Tanganyika, and Bangweulu as well as along the Kafue river at Kasaka and the water bodies of Western province. This is being implemented through the Zambia Aquaculture Enterprise Development Project (ZAED).
Zambia Aquaculture Enterprise Development Project (ZAED).
Arising from the effective implementation of the ZAED Project, the PF Government has increased fish production from 22, 713 metric tonnes in 2015 to 27,658 metric tonnes in 2016; representing a 22 percent increase.
This significant increase in fish production in only 2 years is evidence of PF Government policies working in the sector.
Once the Zambia Aquaculture Enterprise Development Project (ZAEDP) implementation period is completed in 2021, Government expects the annual fish production to increase to over 40,000 metric tonnes from the current 36,000 metric tonnes in 2018.
The ZAEDP project is stimulating a viable aquaculture sub-sector in Zambia which will in turn promote economic diversification, food security and sustainable employment creation, all of which are top priorities of the Government as enshrined in the 7NDP and Vision 2030.
However, Zambia still has a deficit of 87, 000 metric tonnes due to increased human population as well as demand for fish as a source of cheap protein.
In order to bridge this gap and to enable Zambians to improve their welfare through fish farming; President Edgar Lungu is committed to scaling up aquaculture development through strategic investments and partnerships, to stimulate an enabling environment for expansion in the sub-sector.
Research And Development Promotion Programme (Crops, Livestock And Fisheries)
Apart from Aquaculture, the PF Government attaches great importance to research and development in all sub-sectors of Agriculture. Central to this is Zambia Agriculture Research Institute (ZARI) is the largest agricultural research entity in Zambia.
It has 10 research stations with Mount Makulu Central Research Station being the institute’s headquarters.
The institute’s overall objectives are to develop and adapt crop, soil and plant protection technologies and to provide a high quality, appropriate and cost-effective service to farmers. (www.agriculture.gov.zm). The PF Government has boosted support to ZARI to enable it meet its objectives.
In order to promote Research and Development further, the PF Government has scaled up vaccine production at the Central Veterinary Research Institute with a view to improving and protecting crops, livestock and fisheries countrywide.
Enhancing Agriculture Value Chains
Agriculture value chains are a crucial component of Economic Diversification.
President Lungu’s Government is devoted to diversifying the economy and reducing over-dependence on the extractive industry.
PF is modernizing Agriculture and prioritize value addition through agro-industries in order to improve productivity and lay the foundation for an industrialized economy.
To this end, President Lungu’s Administration has continued to gain significant ground in enhancing agriculture value chains through strategic and significant investments in production, agro-processing and marketing including export market and distribution mechanisms in line with the 7NDP.
The PF Government continues to score many feats through the implementation of a variety of programmes such as the Agro- And Forestry-Based Processing and Manufacturing Promotion Programme.
The following is a selection from the long list of PF Government’s achievements in this regard:
i. Shiwang’andu district of Muchinga Province- In 2015, President Edgar Lungu launched a multi-million Kwacha Forest Plantation for ZAFFICO
ii. Kasama, Northern Province; a 1,947-hectare ZAFFICO plantation has also been established. It is expected to create 200 direct jobs in Kasama and many more throughout the country.
iii. More land for ZAFFICO to develop into plantations in Mporokoso and Luwingu districts in Northern Province has also been secured. The aim is to preserve forests as well as create employment in the area and countrywide.
iv. In April 2018 His Excellency, President Edgar Lungu – launched the “Zambia Plant a Million Trees initiative” at Kapasa Makasa University in Muchinga Province.
CONCLUSION
With His Excellency President Edgar Chagwa Lungu leading the way the Patriotic Front Government has made significant strides towards the fulfillment of Vision 2030, and we will not rest on our laurels.
We remain unflinching and relentless in our quest to bequeath to Zambians a strong, dynamic and prosperous industrial Middle-income Nation By 2030 using the PF Manifesto and 7NDP as a stairway to attaining a diversified and export-oriented agriculture sector leveraged on improving production and productivity from farm to agro-processing and manufacturing.
CITIZEN Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) Director General Likando Mukumbuta (left) explaining to Kasama prospective business men and women on how they can access Government empowerment funds at Northern Provincial Conference hall yesterday with Kasama District Commissioner Kalanga Bwalya (right).
Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) has established a Cashew Matching Grant Fund Facility worth US$2million United States dollars.
CEEC Director General Likando Mukumbuta says the fund has been sourced from African Development Bank (AfDB) as part of the US$55.4 million cashew project Government is implementing in Western Province.
Speaking during a sensitization meeting held at Kalabo Secondary School, Mr. Mukumbuta said the fund is meant to boost enterprises of cashew value chain products under the Cashew Infrastructure Development Project (CIDP).
Mr Mukumbuta said the matching grants being floated are meant to finance entrepreneurs venturing into nurseries, plantations, storage, processing and marketing of cashew products.
He stated that funds will be disbursed to targeted citizens as well as Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in order to cushion their financial requirements during the various stages of cashew value chain production.
Mr. Mukumbuta added that CEEC has partnered with CIDP to also make funds available to finance feasibility studies into the various fields of cashew nuts.
He said the grant will be awarded through an open selection procedure based on either concept notes or business plans.
Mr. Mukumbuta said successful applicants would receive funds amounting to K70, 000 adding that those seeking for funds above that threshold are required to submit a full business plan.
He however noted that the funds would not cater for everyone hence the need for entrepreneurs to align themselves to lending institutions for additional or alternative funds.
Speaking at the same function, Kalabo District Commissioner, Fridah Luhila said cashew yields have improved this year following spraying of chemicals and pruning exercise which boosted production levels of already existing trees.
Mrs. Luhila has since urged cashew farmers to apply for the grant in order to engage in cashew value chain products and in turn generate more income.
Meanwhile, Acting District Marketing Development Officer, Munchini Ushiti has advised applicants to be realistic in their project proposals.
And cashew farmers in Kalabo district have thanked Government for establishing the Cashew Matching Grant Fund Facility saying the initiative has potential to reduce household poverty across the province.
The smallholder farmers however appealed to government to reduce the applicants’ prerequisite contribution towards the cashew value chain projects from 70 percent to about 30 percent in order for them to benefit from the matching grant facility.
Government through Ministry of Agriculture is implementing the five-year cashew project in selected 10 districts of Western Province at a cost of US$55.4 million dollars.
Mutati with Seth James Group of Companies President
Movement for Multiparty Democracy (MMD) president Felix Mutati has said debt that most African countries have was stressing their economies.
He said the debt was negatively impacting on the exchange rate as well as most country’s current account deficits.
In an interview from Egypt where he was attending a business forum, Mutati said most African countries are under economic pressure due to their indebtedness.
“Most of the African countries are under the pressure of debt which is putting alot of pressure on our economic stability. It is impacting on the foreign exchange rate and the foriegn reserves,” he said.
He further noted that the debt was also slowing down growth in most of the African countries because the liquidity in the economies has been constrained thereby having an effect on the access to money.
Mutati also revealed that leaders discussed a number of ways on how they can improve the continent’s engagement with China.
He said the continent should be smart enough to realise that China needs Africa as much as Africa needs China and ensure that negotiators strike deals that represent the interest of the people.
The opposition leader who was amongst the eminent men and women invited to participate in the week-long deliberations, said there is need for governments to strenthen their governance institutions and ensure that rules and regulations are strictly enforced when dealing with not only Chinese investors but all the investors coming into the continent.
“A number of commentators raised the concerns of debt associated with China and let me say this; China needs Africa in as much as Africa needs China.
“The dragon has landed, the African Lion must now dance with it but we must create a balance between the African Lion and the Chinese Drangon,” he said.
He called on the think-tanks in Africa to be smart and be able to define the terms of engagement within the conducive regulations that would elevate the levels of economic performance.
“We must be smart. We must be able to go to the table of negotiations very clear and strategic knowing what we want from the transaction. We must be alive to the fact that at the table of transactions investors will always protect their interests so we too must protect our territory and all other assets on our continent,” he advised.
He said the Chinese are looking for the expansion of their market in the wake of trade differences they have been having with the United States of America and are now Africa comes in as an opportunity.
President Edgar Chagwa Lungu at the First-ever-Annual Economics Gala Dinner organised by the Economics Association of Zambia under the theme: “Uniting Towards Achieving An Integrated Approach To National Economic Development” at InterContinental Hotel on Wednesday, December 12,2018-Pictures by THOMAS NSAMA/STATE HOUSE
President Edgar Lungu has observed that fighting the influx of Chinese in Zambia is an exercise in futility because Chinese are like Cockroaches who are found everywhere.
President Lungu charged that it will not help Zambia to cry about Chinese influx.
President Lungu said there is no need for Zambians to be Xenophobic towards the Non Zambians like the Chinese but that Zambians should instead work with them.
President Lungu was speaking on Wednesday evening during the inaugural Economics Association of Zambia gala dinner.
“I don’t mean to insult but what I am saying is that the Chinese are like Cockroaches. They are billions of Chinese and invaluably they will be everywhere including here in Zambia,” President Lungu said.
He also suggested that Zambians should emulate the resilient of their Chinese counterparts.
“When I say they are like Cockroaches I am not demeaning the Chinese. They are very resilient and they can survive in any condition and Zambians need to learn that kind of resilient,” President Lungu said.
He said Zambians should not eliminate the Chinese from the county but just work with them.
“This cry about China won’t help us. I was reading statistics the other day and someone had written that out of 10 thieves, six could be Bembas and that does not really mean Bemba are thieves but because of many Bemba speaking around. Invaluably, China will be everywhere because they are many. You can’t eradicate Chinese from Zambia, they are everywhere. They are like Cockroaches,” President Lungu said.
And President Lungu has signaled out the Zambia Engineering Institution as one of the professional bodies that is not adding value to national development.
President Lungu who described the EIZ as aloof said the institution has stayed away from key national decision processes because it is inactive.
He said the EIZ is failing to provide professional input in key government construction projects.
“The EIZ is aloof and are not interested in providing professional advice. A case in point is the construction of the new Kenneth Kaunda International Airport, I learnt the other day that the new airport is being constructed without refrigeration equipment and yet we are planning on doing this goat export deal to Saudi Arabia,” President Lungu said.
He added, “the money the country when doing the Mongu Kalabo Road could have been saved had our Engineers told us the type of road we needed there before roads could get washed away easily.”
He said there is a lot of lethargy by some professional bodies.
President Lungu also condemned some opposition parties whom he accused of spreading falsehoods about the state of the economy.
He said Government is happy that the new Economics Association of Zambia Board is proving to be a true partner in correcting the negative narrative about the Zambian economy.
President Lungu said all stakeholders should partner with government to realize the Vision 2030 saying there is no need to be pulling in different directions.
“We should avoid unpatriotic tendencies as Zambians. By denouncing the economy, by denouncing the Kwacha, you are not gaining anything. Its a zero sum game by talking ill about Zambia. How do you want to take over from failure?
And EAZ President Lubinda Haabazoka said the Association is confident that Zambia will meet its aspirations of creating a broad based economy as it pursues the Vision 2030 without leaving anyone behind.
Dr Haabazoka further stated that EAZ is determined to fight the spread of fake information about the Zambian economy.
He also announced that the EAZ will in April next year hold the first ever National Economics Summit at which research backed papers will be shared on key economic subjects.
Google CEO Sundar Pichai was forced to explain to U.S. congress on Tuesday why images of Donald Trump crop up when you tap the word ‘idiot’ – a word that’s also now become the most searched term on Google in light of the revelation.
Explaining that results from such a search led to pictures of U.S. President Donald Trump, Democratic congresswoman Zoe Lofgren asked: “Right now, if you google the word ‘idiot’ under images, a picture of Donald Trump comes up. I just did that.
“How would that happen?”
This was when Pichai launched into a detailed explanation of how Google’s search function works, in an attempt to refute claims that it was in any way ‘rigged’ – something Trump himself has accused the ‘fake news media’ of.
“Any time you type in a keyword, as Google we have gone out and crawled and stored copies of billions of [websites’] pages in our index,” Pichai said.
“And we take the keyword and match it against their pages and rank them based on over 200 signals – things like relevance, freshness, popularity, how other people are using it. And based on that, at any given time, we try to rank and find the best search results for that query. And then we evaluate them with external raters, and they evaluate it to objective guidelines. And that’s how we make sure the process is working.”
“So it’s not some little man sitting behind the curtain figuring out what we’re going to show the user?” Lofgren asked – we’re presuming with a slight hint of sarcasm.
“This is working at scale, and we don’t manually intervene on any particular search result,” Pichai replied.
Donald Trump comes up in Google Images when you search the term ‘idiot’. Credit: PA
He continued: “We provide search today for any time you type in a keyword. We, as Google, have gone out and crawled and stored copies of billions of their pages in our index, and we take the keyword and match it against the pages and rank them based on over 200 signals.
“Things like relevance, freshness, popularity, how other people are using it. And based on that, you know, at any given time, we try to find the best results for that query,” he added, during the hearing that also threw up several other self-owns for lawmakers.
The phenomenon is known as ‘Google bombing‘, and has affected many other famous names in the past. For instance, The Verge reports that in the mid-2000s, searches for the term ‘miserable failure’ returned results for President George W. Bush.
