COMACO upgrades production plant

ABOUT US$110, 000 investment has been injected in the production plant of a new product by the Community Markets for Conservation (COMACO).

The investment, which was assisted by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), will target primarily cowpea farmers in Mumbwa and Itezhi-tezhi Districts.

This will give COMACO a production capacity of 1,600 kilogramme of high-protein snacks per day.

The product called CP Snack for cowpeas and regarded as a ‘meal-in-a-snack, it is made from cowpeas and maize sourced entirely from small-scale farmers.

COMACO Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Dale Lewis, said the company was proud to keep enriching Zambia’s diet and bringing consumers closer to our farmers who practice methods that keep soils fertile.

“In so doing. Farmers can stay more sedentary and not be forced to clear land in search of more productive soils. Linking healthy food products to conservation and to farmers’ well-being is COMACO’s goal.

“CP Snack does just that and even more. It’s also the perfect snack for kids to keep them growing strong and healthy. We are proud to keep enriching Zambia’s diet and bringing consumers closer to our farmers who practice methods that keep soils fertile,” he said in a statement.

Mr Lewis said this investment represented COMACO’s continued commitment to helping small-scale farmers gain increased income from the crops they grow.

Soon to be launched on 8th October, CP Snack will become COMACO’s 20th product, all of which are sourced from over 225,000 small-scale farmers who have joined one of 89 multi-purpose farmer cooperatives supported by COMACO with improved farming skills and markets.

Unlike most other snacks produced in Zambia, CP Snack will give consumers a range of such nutrients as vitamin E, iron, calcium, protein, fiber, and energy. Consumers can now enjoy a truly healthy and tasty snack while supporting farmers who adopt non-chemical, soil improving farming practices.