GOVT PLANS BEEF SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONES
THE Namwala Town Council has carried out a familiarisation tour of Lusaka South Multi Facility Economic Zone (LSMFEZ) in readiness for creation of Beef Zones in the area.
This is after the district administration has been engaged on the identification of land and as potential developers of the beef zone working with the private sector, according to the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA).
The ZDA facilitated a tour of the LS-MFEZ and the Jiangxi International Corporation Multi Facility Economic Zone, in Chibombo for the administration led by the Southern Province Permanent Secretary, Namani Moonze.
ZDA Director-General, Albert Halwampa, explained that the tour was meant to give firsthand information to the administration on the concept of Special Economic Zones, the infrastructure requirements and management as they planned to set up a Beef Special Economic Zone in the area.
“The Namwala District Administration in the Kafue Flats is one group that has been engaged on the identification of land and as potential developers of the beef zone working with the private sector,” Mr Halwampa said.
He expressed optimism that Zambia could learn lessons from Botswana and other countries that had taken advantage of their beef by developing a proper beef value chain and entered the European and American markets.
Mr Halwampa’s that the Special hope was Economic
Zones programme would be taken seriously and that the project should start happening by next year.
“Government through a steering committee has been engaging and consulting various stakeholders including government departments and the private sector with regards to the creation of Special Economic Zones,” he said.
The committee comprised of the Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry, ZDA, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Livestock, Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, Ministry of Finance and National Planning and the Industrial Development Corporation.
During the tour, Dr Moonze recognised rural industrialisation as one of Government’s outputs.
Dr Moonze noted that Government had identified endowments and capitalised them to create jobs and increase incomes in households.
Meanwhile, Namwala Council Chairperson, Abel Moonga, said the district had a lot of animals that could uplift the standards of living for the people and meaningfully contribute national Gross Domestic Product.
“The creation of a Special Economic Zone in the area will help standardise the prices of cattle and beef products for the benefit of the locals,” Mr Moonga said.