Concerns Grow as Delay in Opening Chitambo Cassava Milling Plant Hampers Agribusiness and Economic Prospects

By NOEL IYOMBWA

An Agribusiness stakeholder has expressed concern with the continued delay to open a Cassava milling plant in Chitambo.

Mwaona Farms Agro Director David Lwenje told Agricoop newspaper in an interview that Chitambo District is a pre dominantly an Agricultural Area and the Opening of the Chitambo Cassava Milling Plant will activate ready market for the Farm Produce like Cassava, soya bean's from the small holder famers.

Mr. Lwenje said a lot of small Businesses around the Cassava Value Chain that will create a repo effect on the economy of Chitambo District and the Zambian nation as a whole.

He wondered why the commissioning of the plant has delay despite some assurances for the last few years.

A research in Zambia indicates that cassava is mostly consumed in its traditional form for its leaves, as a snack, and for preparing nshima popularly known as maize-cassava nshima.

The limited knowledge of cassava products’ diversity and the low usage of improved equipment are challenges to the production of confectionery products that could lead to increased cassava consumption.

The construction of a US$3M Cassava milling plant brought anxiety among Cassava farmers in Chitambo and surrounding area.

The plant is expected to create more direct and indirect employment.

However despite construction of the plant being completed few years ago the plant has remained a white elephant.

Mid Last year authority assured the Nation that the plant would resume operation in November 2022 after some bench mark's where archived.

A research in Zambia indicates that cassava is mostly consumed in its traditional form for its leaves, as a snack, and for preparing nshima popularly known as maize-cassava nshima.

The limited knowledge of cassava products’ diversity and the low usage of improved equipment are challenges to the production of confectionery products that could lead to increased cassava consumption.