CHONGWE, Zambia, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- A local Zambian official has praised a Chinese company's role in boosting food security by production of seed maize and other farm produce in an interview with Xinhua on Friday.
Chongwe deputy mayor Evans M'hambi said Zhong Yang Eco-Agriculture Industry Park in Chalimbana ward in the district has positively contributed to the production of seed maize, wheat and livestock. He particularly hailed the production of seed maize which was critical to food security.
Chongwe district is one of the seven districts in Lusaka province. Most of the Chongwe people are either engaged in agriculture production, employed in agriculture-related businesses or involved in such businesses themselves.
According to him, the seed production by the company has enhanced the government's Farmer Input Support Program (FISP). This is a program that provides subsidized agriculture inputs to small scale farmers. Farmers pay a small amount for selected inputs which mainly include maize seed and fertilizer.
He was pleased to learn that the company was ready to supply the maize seed to the program. He said that this has been necessitated through the growing partnership of the Chinese with a local company.
M'hambi also hailed the company for also engaging in livestock and wheat production. He said that this undertaking was a welcome development as it would further increase the number of jobs and also contribute more government tax and food to the Zambian market.
Fredrick Sashi, the company's administrative manager, said that the company was a modern eco-agricultural firm integrating planting, breeding, processing and eco-tourism.
Meanwhile, a traditional leader in the district, senior headman Nkhomeshya, is happy that the local people had gained employment and business from the Chinese company.
According to him, the Zambia-China relationship was one to be envied as it has resulted in massive Chinese investments and partnerships with the government and local stakeholders. Enditem
