NORTH WEST POTENTIAL NEEDS MORE PUBLICITY - PS
THEREis need to publicise the potential in the North Western, says Provincial Willies Mangimela. Mr Mangimela noted that it was common knowledge that the region was now being referred to as the new Copperbelt of Zambia due to increasing in mining, but that more publicity was required on other critical sectors of the economy. He was speaking in Solwezi yesterday during a stakeholders’ sensitisation meeting for the forthcoming investment expo slated for August this year. He said the region was now home to some of the largest mines in the country while several other smaller mines were dotted around the province. Mr Mangimela said currently there were active large and small scale prospecting mining licence holders including those dealing in copper, cobalt and gild. "However, our province is not only about mining, we have enormous potential in the
agriculture sector among other sectors," he said. He said the province has a total area of 125,826 kilometre square of which 5,875, 696 hectares is suitable for agricultural production. Mr Mangimela however said that only 154, 324 hectares was under cultivation with a total irrigable land at 200, 000 hectares while only 1, 825 hectares was under irrigation. The province, he said, was the number one producer of pineapples, high quality organic honey from natural forests, maize, cassava, groundnuts, sweet potatoes and the famous Solwezi beans. "This makes the province an ideal production region for most cash crops and citrus fruits. The province also has great potential in irrigation and farm block development because on average temperatures range between 16 and 24 degrees Celsius, “he said. On water resources, the permanent secretary said the region has abundant water resources from rivers, dams, and wetlands making it 8deal for aquaculture investment.