Daily Mail | July 24, 2012
Quicken Nansanga process of investment, ZDA urged
By CHAMBO NG’UNI
A SENIOR Government official in Serenje has urged the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) to quicken the process of facilitating investment inflow in the 155,000-hectare Nansanga farm block in Central Province.
Serenje district commissioner Charles Mwelwa says Government’s investment in the Nansanga farm block is huge, and should not be allowed to go to waste.
the Nansanga farm block, a 155,000-hectare area, is part of government’s programme to open up viable farm blocks in various parts of the country to be involved in primary production and value addition.
The Nansanga farm block design includes one core venture (10,000 hectares), commercial farms ranging from 1,000 to 5,000 hectares and smallholdings of about 30 -300 hectares.
“Government invested a colossal sum of money to develop the farm block in terms of infrastructure. The local people have now taken advantage (of the absence of investors) and are now settling in the farm block,” Mr Mwelwa said.
Mr Mwelwa said in a recent interview in Serenje that 356 farms have already been demarcated and 150 kilometres of the road network has been done within the farm block.
Mr Mwelwa also said 29.5 km and 1.3 km stretch of 11 KV and 35 KV lines have been erected by Zesco in Nansanga and Luombwa farm blocks.
Three dams meant to facilitate irrigation have also been constructed.
Mr Mwelwa said Serenje District Council has also interviewed local investors who have been given offer letters.
He said the absence of investors in Nansanga farm block is a source of worry and a major challenge in view of Government’s position of job creation, growth of the agricultural sector and agro-based industries and promoting of investment in Serenje district.
The ZDA recently revealed that it was soon expected to conclude negotiations with Bonafarm Group which won the tender to develop Nansanga farm block’s anchor core venture plot.
Over 10 local and international companies bidded for the development of the Nansanga farm block.
Among the companies that bidded for the development of the farm block are Polyserve Fertiliser from Egypt, Bonafarm Group from Hungary, Sable Transport Limited from Zambia, and Sea Agriculture Group from the United Kingdom.
About 310,000 small farms have been allocated to Zambian investors who are expected to pay for the survey diagrams.
