By Nawa Mutumweno – Farming in Zambia is beset with many factors which lead to high costs of production such as high cost of finance, poor extension services, lack of access to finance and credible agricultural research, fees, levies, numerous taxes, etc. Government announced the 2012/13 crop forecast results recently against a cloud of uncertainty that a reduction in maize production was eminent due to the early stoppage of the rains, effects of army worms, replanting and late delivery of the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) inputs in most parts of the country. The Agricultural Production Survey estimates carried out... Continue Reading
Publish Date: Monday, June 3rd 2013 |
Victoria Falls, May 28 2013: The United States believes Zimbabwe and Zambia should use the forthcoming United Nations World Tourism Organization (UN-WTO) General Assembly as a springboard for economic growth, good governance, and sustainable wildlife conservation. The U.S. Ambassadors to Zimbabwe and Zambia expressed this view during a cross-border bicycle ride to promote tourism and environmental conservation in the Victoria Falls-Livingstone area May 21-23rd. “We wanted to shine the light on both sides of the Zambezi River in advance of the UN-WTO Assembly to both encourage Americans to come and explore this part of the world and to emphasize the connection... Continue Reading
Publish Date: Tuesday, May 28th 2013 |
By Nawa Mutumweno – National Airports Corporation (NAC) is set to roll out an infrastructure replacement programme to modernise the country’s four international airports. The company has received 19 bids from international and local firms to replace outdated infrastructure at the aviation facilities, information availed by the Zambian Embassy in Washington, USA, Deputy Head of Mission, Ben Kangwa has revealed. In a presentation on a panel discussion titled ‘Aviation: Safe Skies for Africa Space Integration’ that took place in Cincinatti, Ohio, NAC managing director Robinson Misitala says great business opportunities in infrastructure development now exist. The country’s four international airports... Continue Reading
Publish Date: Monday, May 27th 2013 |
By Nawa Mutumweno – Government has removed the subsidy on maize, a move likely to trigger an increase in mealie-meal prices. The state has also revised the Farmer Input Support Programme (FISP) in which farmers would be paying double for inputs effective this marketing season. The maize subsidy, known as millers-consumer subsidy, was the money that the Government availed to enable millers to maintain stable prices of mealie-meal sold to consumers. Agriculture and Livestock minister Bob Sichinga announced the Cabinet decision to remove the subsidy, a move he said was aimed at reducing losses that the Government had been incurring... Continue Reading
Publish Date: Monday, May 20th 2013 |
By Nawa Mutumweno – The Zambian government plans to spend a total of KR32.2 billion in 2013 on the provision of various goods and services such as education, health, water, electricity and roads, according to this year’s Budget presented to the National Assembly by Finance minister Alexander Chikwanda in October last year. Allocation of the Budget is follows: General Public Services (25.5%); Defence (6.3%); Public Order and Safety (4.2%); Economic Affairs (27.6%); Environmental Protection (0.2%); Housing and Community Amenities (3.8%); Health (11.3%); Recreation, Culture & Religion (0.8%); Education (17.5%) and Social Protection (2.8%). ECONOMIC AFFAIRS Agriculture KR500 million is planned... Continue Reading
Publish Date: Monday, May 6th 2013 |
