THREE MILLION CASHEW NUT TREES PLANTED THIS YEAR IN BAROTSELAND
As CIDP project comes to end this year in Barotseland.
Three million new cashew nut trees have this year been planted in Barotseland.
The new plants comprises a variety from Tanzania, which was recently donated to Barotseland by that country’s president, John Magufuli.
Barotseland has managed to plant three million trees from the 25 tonnes of seedlings that was given. As the project of the cashew infrastructure Development Project (CIDP) comes to an end this year , the provincial administration has disclosed that, they will ask for a two year extension for the monitors and implementers to continue undertaking the works in the region.
The US$55.4 million project, which was launched in 2016, is scheduled to close this year. It’s only prudent that we ask for an extension because we started becoming very serious in implementing the project in 2018 instead of 2016, disclosed Minister Kapita.
The CIDP is being implemented in Mongu, Limulunga, Sioma, Senanga, Sikongo, Shangombo, Nalolo, Lukulu, Mitete and Kalabo districts. It targets to empower 60,000 households of which 30,000 are generally headed by women.
The CIDP tenure was just 5 year to monitor and implement. After 5 years the group is expected to pack and go. The rest will be run by the local people and companies that has already been established. Already the ETG , ZAFFICO, Barotse cashew company, Moto holdings, County cashew, etc have already joined in establishing their farms and stations.
Meanwhile, Mr Kapita described the cashew conference he attended in Ivory Coast last month, in the company of his majesty the Litunga Lubosi Imwiko II, as insightful.
Mr Kapita said the conference attended by the worlds biggest consumers of cashew, Vietnam and India, helped them notes areas where they should concentrate if the industry is to thrive.
What was interesting to note is that cashew contributes US$5 billion of the Gross Domestic Product in Ivory Coast, one of Africa’s leading producers. As a region we also want to go that direction and then we will no longer be referred to as the poorest region,” Kapita said.