The Government of Zambia has applauded COMESA for coming up with an initiative to foster economic growth in Luapula province and the nation in general through the creation of clusters in various sectors.
In a speech read for him by the acting District Administration Officer, Evans Sikabbubba, Mansa District Commissioner Mirriam Kauseni said it is good for government to have development partners like COMESA to help the local communities especially farmers in developing skills that will make their businesses grow.
Speaking at the official opening of the second cassava cluster business management training for small-scale farmers and cassava processors on 07 September 2012 in Kale agriculture camp in Mansa district of Luapula province in Zambia, Mrs Kauseni said the district’s cassava crop forecast for2011 was promising.
“I have no doubt that Mansa district cassava farmers will make valuable contributions in meeting the market demands for cassava products in the COMESA region,” she added.
The district commissioner said government, with the support ofdonors, has since developed a number of improved cassava verities, and these are high yielding, drought and disease tolerant, and have higher starch.
“These improved varieties include Bangweulu, Chila, Kampolombwe and Mweru and so you have no excuse to continue using local varieties which have poor yields,” she said.
She encouraged the participating farmers to seriously consider farming as a business and therefore try by all means to minimise costs while maximising profits.
COMESA Secretary-General, Mr Sindiso Ngwenya in a speech read for him by the Public Relations Assistant,Mr Daniel Banda said the Secretariat is working to promote value addition by supporting the formation of national and regional clusters as a mechanism rade and poverty alleviation.
“The SMEs in the region are constrained by inadequate skills, use of inappropriate technology, poor networking and limited access to finance. To this end the proposed cassava cluster initiative seeks to address both the production, marketing and intra-regional trade constraints in a pragmatic and practical way,” Mr Ngwenya said.
He added that the cluster initiative, which puts the private sector at the centre of development, has been identified as an effective strategy towards the promotion of the pro-poor agenda, since a thriving private sector can alleviate poverty by contributing to economic growth, job creation and poor people’s incomes.
“It can also empower poor people by The Secretary-General said most peasant farmers are at the moment delinked from most support institutions yet they hold the potential of transforming the economies of COMESA and their respective countries in a significant manner at a relatively lower cost.providing a broad range of products and services at lower prices.”