By Scoop Reporter
THE challenges facing the poultry sector are related to policy, operations, as well as the information gap between industry and policy makers, the Zambia Development Agency (ZDA) has said.
Speaking when he led a team of experts from the Agency to Ross Breeders Zambia farm in Chainda, ZDA Acting Director General Matongo Matamwandi said it was an eye-opener to learn some of the challenges facing the poultry industry.
Mr. Matamwandi promised to engage with relevant authorities in bringing to the fore, some of the challenges that are hampering progress in the sector and how they can be addressed.
“It was eye opening to learn of some of the challenges the sector is facing and as an Agency we shall start to engage with the relevant authorities in order to address the challenges,” revealed Mr. Matamwandi.
“In addition, as the Agency will be making recommendations to government on the post COVID-19 recovery, it will be based on practical experience and information from the industry,” Mr. Matamwandi said.
He notes that the Agency is more convinced that the Investor Symposium which it held last year for the first time, is an important platform which helps deal with challenges that the private sector are facing as it bring both government and industry under one roof.
He encourages all business associations across sectors to be part of this year’s Investor Symposium.
He reiterates that the Agency is looking at making the Investor Symposium an annual event so as to continue bridging the information gap between government and the private sector.
Meanwhile Mr. Matamwandi commends Ross Breeders Zambia for their over USD37 million investment in the economy and over 1200 jobs they have created for the people of Zambia.
He says the company is also contributing to the foreign exchange earnings as they export to over 10 countries in Southern and Central Africa.
Mr. Matamwandi further reiterates that the company is also providing a ready market for small scale farmers for both maize and soya beans of all quantities and the out grower scheme that it is running.
And Ross Breeders Managing Director Colin Lindsay, expressed gratitude for the commitment that the Zambia Development Agency showed towards supporting the growth of the poultry industry in the country.
Mr. Lindsay notes that his group of companies will continue to work with government and small scale poultry farmers create the much needed jobs for the people of Zambia.
