OVER 12,000 SMALL-HOLDER FARMERS TO BE INTERGRATED INTO ORGANIC SOYABEANS PRODUCTION

 OVER 12,000 SMALL-HOLDER FARMERS TO BE INTERGRATED INTO ORGANIC SOYABEANS PRODUCTION

...to enhance climate smart agricultural practices.
Pictures for illustration purposes

By Alfonso Kasongo
With the support from the Enterprise Zambia Challenge Fund (EZCF),Seba Foods Zambia Limited plans to set out-grower scheme of organic soyabeans small-holder farmers in order to promote climate smart agricultural practices as the company diversifies its product portfolio.

The plan will in the next 3-years see over 12,000 small-scale farmers being integrated into organic soyabeans production.

Enterprise Zambia is a Challenge Fund, funded by the European Union, to strengthen agricultural value chain and it targets Zambian small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that support productive and market-intergrated small-holder agriculture.

With such plans in place,the company aims to also set up a plant based beverage factory for purposes of producing organic soya milk to southern Africa and United States markets.

Participating at the Zambia Impact investment Summit 2023 in Lusaka,Seba Foods Zambia Limited, a subsidiary of 260 Brands, one of the leading firms in the production and supply of maize and soya based products in the country, disclosed that the company will recruit and train small-holder farmers in organic soyabeans production, provide inputs and establish a certification and internal control system (ICS).
Picture is for illustration purposes
And according to company project profile, the project will have positive environmental impact as a result of smart energy and sustainable water use ,paper and recyclable material use, reduced air and noise pollution as enshrined its sustainability policy.

The project will further promote intercropping and rotation with organic cotton as well as ensuring minimum tillage and timely planting.

The project profile read.. " Seba Foods will work initially to organically certify 2,000 small-holder farmers who will serve as suppliers, scaling to 12,000 farmers over the next 3-years."

" This will encourage the 1,300 small-scale farmers they currently procure from to transition from conventional soya to organic production.

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