THE Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry is targeting to support over 3000 Small and Medium Enterprises and cooperatives through the Zambia Agribusiness and Trade Project II (ZATP II).
In an interview with ZANIS in Chilanga District, ZATP Food Safety Specialist Gladys Phiri says the project received a significant boost of 170 million United States Dollars from the World Bank, an increase from the initial 40 million United States Dollars for the first phase of the project.
Ms Phiri indicated that the project’s expansion will now cover all 10 provinces and 116 districts across the country adding that this marks a significant scaling up from the initial 5 provinces and 25 districts.
She indicated that the project is in line with the 8th National Development Plan which identifies economic transformation and job creation agenda as its foremost strategic development area.
Ms Phiri said the project will run for five years from 2023 to 2028 and it intends to empower about 1,400 cooperatives.
“The project is targeting to empower about 1,400 cooperatives who are expected to receive business development support, with 900 of these set to receive matching grants,” she explained.
With the project currently in its initial phase, outreach programs are underway, and a call for proposals are expected to be issued around February or March 2025,” said Ms Phiri.
And Mapepe Dairy Society Cooperative Limited Manager Mutinta Nabanda highlighted how a K715, 000.00 grant received in 2021 enabled them to establish a feed-making plant.
Ms Nabanda indicated that the investment has not only benefited the cooperative’s 92 members but also the community through creation of employment opportunities.
“From the grant that we received from the ZATP one, we were able to build a factory that is a feed making plant and purchased the feed mixer and as of now we are able to make feed for farmers and also the community has benefited from the same factory,” she said.
Another beneficiary, New Farmers Multiple Purpose Cooperatives’ member Prisca Phiri, noted that the over K 800,000.00 grant they received, allowed them to construct 80 fish ponds and generated profit.
She however, indicated that the cooperative intended to drill boreholes from the profit which was made but was not able to do so due to the dryness caused by the Drought.
“We hope that with the ZATP II we will be able to drill boreholes and put in a solar system which will enable us to run our fish farming business,” said Ms Phiri.
