WARNING: This is Version 1 of my old archive, so Photos will NOT work and many links will NOT work. But you can find articles by searching on the Titles. There is a lot of information in this archive. Use the SEARCH BAR at the top right. Prior to December 2012; I was a pro-Christian type of Conservative. I was unaware of the mass of Jewish lies in history, especially the lies regarding WW2 and Hitler. So in here you will find pro-Jewish and pro-Israel material. I was definitely WRONG about the Boeremag and Janusz Walus. They were for real.
Original Post Date: 2011-07-25 Time: 11:00:02 Posted By: News Poster
By Sylvia Mweetwa
But today the farming community in the district has every reason to smile knowing that the days of using diesel generators for agriculture purposes are coming to an end.
This is because the Government in partnership with the European Union (EU) has pumped in about K33 billion to electrify the farming bloc which houses over 200 commercial farmers.
A recent visit to the farm bloc found workers from Itech Investment Company who have been contracted to do the job, busy connecting the 33 kilowatts power line to the bloc.
Site supervisor Mutale Nsonga said the contract involves the clearing of the bush to pave way for the connection of the power and and that works were progressing well.
Over 100 local people have also been employed on temporary employment during the period.
And a retired Colonel Hamwiinde Munamunungu, a local farmer in the Big Concessional Farming Bloc described the connection of the power line as historical.
Col Munamunungu said it has not been easy to use diesel to expand their fields as it is costly adding that with the connection of electricity the area is marked for major increased agriculture boom.
He is happy that the farm bloc which had seemed to have been forgotten would be connected with electricity which is a major step in the right direction and paid tribute to the Government of President Rupiah Banda for taking electricity to such an area.
He said though this year he expects to havest between 300 and 500 bags of maize to be sold to the Food Reserve Agency (FRA), he believes that the situation would not be the same once electricity is connected to the bloc.
He has taken advantage of the Government policies by diversifying and he is also growing other crops such as soya beans, vegetables and others.
Another farmer Whitson Mwinge said the connection of electricity to the farm bloc is good news because most farmers whose dependence was on diesel were unable to expand their fields due to the high cost of diesel.
He said the farm bloc once connected with electricity, is capable of producing enough crops to feed the whole Zambia because most farmers have big fields which are not being utilised due to lack of electricity.
And Central Province Permanent Secretary Denny Lumbama said the decision to connect the area to the national grid is part of Government’s commitment to taking development to all parts of Zambia.
He said Mumbwa like other districts is known for its agriculture activities and reaffirmed Government’s commitment to ensure that operations of the farmers are made easier.
“I am happy that the electrifying of the Big Concessional Farm bloc in Mumbwa at a cost of K33 billion in a partnership between the Zambian Government and the EU has reached an advanced stage.
As a Government we have committed ourselves to ensuring that our farmers’ needs are addressed but this can only be done with the assistance of other partners,” he said.
He said the project is important as it would allow more than 200 commercial farmers increase their maize production considering that their dependence on diesel powered boreholes has proved to be expensive.
Since the Government has placed its emphasis to continue attaching importance to agriculture, it has raised hopes among the Zambian people as seen from the recent achieved bumper harvest.
Recently during the official opening of new look SARO Agro Industrial Limited in Lusaka, Mr Banda said the Government welcomed any initiative that would complement its efforts in diversifying the economy from the mining sector.
The president said the company’s vision of supporting economic growth and encouraging entrepreneurship by supplying appropriate machinery is a testimony to the vision and commitment, which the firm has for Zambia and the growth of the Zambian industrial and agricultural sectors.
“It is through these partnerships that Zambia will realise her vision of becoming a middle income country and halving poverty and hunger as proclaimed in the millennium development goals,” he said.
Mr Banda said the launch of the new plant would ease the difficulties, which the farming communities face when procuring or replacing old agricultural machinery.
He said it is gratifying that SARO Agro Industrial Limited has a product range that not only encompasses agricultural equipment but also industrial, mining and construction machinery.
The Government is placing emphasis on agriculture to be the mainstay of the economy, diversifying from dependency on the extractive industry and help alleviate poverty.
But most agriculture equipment can only be used with electricity and the connection of electricity to the farm bloc in Mumbwa is an important project as farmers will be able to purchase modern machinery to use for agricultural activities.
In recent years the country has seen an increase in the production of crops such as beans, sweet potatoes, Irish potatoes, wheat and rice as well as cash crops such as coffee, tea, sugarcane, sisal, paprika, cotton and barley as a way of diversifying farming activities.
Indeed people of Mumbwa have reasons to be happy knowing that the days of boreholes with the use of diesel generators are coming to an end and they will be able to increase their crop production.
Original Source: 
Original date published: 25 July 2011
Source: http://allafrica.com/stories/201107251074.html?viewall=1