KETRA KALUNGA in Kawambwa writes
@SunZambian
CASSAVA is now a cash crop in Kawambwa district, every crop produced will now find a ready market at the US$ 800million Sunbird Bio-Energy Plant, says District Commissioner Ivo Mpasa.
The multi-million Ethanol project, located on a 20,000 hectares land in the Luena Farm Block, was commissioned by President Edgar Lungu in 2015 and is expected to commerce productions of the gas in 202.
Mr Mpasa said once operational, about 20 000 rural farmers would be recruited to supply raw cassava to the ethanol factory and that more farmers from others districts, like Mwense, Luwingu, Chipili and Nchelenge, would be incorporated.
He was speaking in an interview with the media when the Special Assistant to the President for Project Monitoring and Implementation, Andrew Chela, and a Team from the Rural Electrification Authority (REA), toured the 150 cassava nursery plantation at Sunbird Bioenergy.
The DC said about 5 000 cassava out grower farmers would be allocated portions of 5 to 10 hectares each on the 20, 000 hectares to grow the produce for the Sunbird Bioenergy Plant.
“From the 2019-2020 planting season, cassava is going to be a cash crop in Kawambwa,” he said.
“Thank you President Lungu for creating an enabling environment for investment, he is not leaving anyone behind, and for Kawambwa, we are just living that,” said Mr Mpasa.
He said the investor, Sunbird Bioenergy, would be responsible for clearing of the land, providing seed, chemicals and fertilizer on condition that the farmers sell the cassava produced to them.
Mr Mpasa said the multi-million dollar projects was one of the three major projects in Kawambwa district born out of the 2017 Luapula Province Expo which has improved the people’s living standards through job creation.
The other major projects in the district are the Kawambwa Green 200, the Kawambwa Sugar and the Kawambwa Tea and ZAFFICO Plantation.
