Zambia’s Copperbelt – an opportunity for agriculture
As part of ASNAPP’s continuous assessments in the fresh produce market, Zambia’s copperbelt has been identified as one of three ‘hot spots’. The other two are Tete (Mozambique) and Windhoek (Namibia).
A tomato trader in the town of Mkushi.
Copperbelt
The Copperbelt is the central north province of landlocked Zambia, bordering the DRC. Historically an economically mining based region, it has seen waves of unemployment in response to fluctuations in mining fortunes.
Wealth generated from mining has made this province the most urbanised in the country with the 2nd and 3rd largest cities, but dependency on mining has rendered the area financially vulnerable to fluctuations in the world markets.
A mild climate, abundant water and land resources, and established infrastructure make agricultural development a potential diversification hedging strategy that could improve livelihoods and economic development in the region, especially considering the proximity of the province to DRC’s second largest city of Lubumbashi.
Challenges facing the Copperbelt
| Horticulture | Transport |
|---|---|
| Cheap power source | |
| Access to affordable low tech irrigation | |
| Cheap finance for farm development | |
| Lack of technical assistance and production information | |
| Improved varieties | |
| Seasonality (disease, water availability) | |
| Land ownership (no title deeds) | |
| Formal retail sector | Transport costs |
| Mixed loads | |
| Consistent reliable local supply | |
| Cheap produce in informal sector | |
| Open air markets | Infrastructure (storage, refrigeration) |
| Formalisation (ruling prices per kg, regulation) | |
| Post harvest handling of fresh produce | |
| Sanitation | |
| Price and volume volatility of fresh produce | |
| Producer and market communication | |
| Informal exports | Formal Marketing Support services |
| Weak regulatory and service support institutions | |
| Insufficient storage and post harvest quality systems | |
| Bureaucracy (long waiting times at border) |
For further information on the assessment, please contact Agribusiness in Sustainable Natural African Plant Products (ASNAPP) South Africa on +27 (0)21 808 2919 or visit www.asnapp.org.za
