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THE expansion of Nakambala Sugar Estates by Zambia Sugar Plc has continued to be a source of pride to the local people as well as a source of employment and economic stimulation in Zambia.
In December last year, South African President Jacob Zuma and the Zambian leader Rupiah Banda commissioned the 1.7 billion South African Rands expansion project in Mazabuka.
The estate has experienced several periods of expansion and Zambia Sugar now has a nominal capacity of 140, 000 tonnes of sugar per year with some 10 000 hectares under cane cultivation.
In addition, 1,785 hectares of sugar cane is managed by the Kaleya smallholders’ scheme, where 140 smallholders manage 560 hectares and the remainder is run as an estate.
Two neighbouring farmers own 450 hectares from which they deliver sugar cane to Nakambala for processing.
After expansion works, production is targeted to peak at 440, 000 tonnes annually which would impact positively in the economy.
The anticipated growth in production would come from a combination of Zambia Sugar’s own estate operations, commercial out growers and small out grower schemes.
One such small-scale out grower scheme which Zambia Sugar has engaged is the Magobbo Cane Growers Project, located 20km from Mazabuka town.
A tour by the Times Business Review in Magobbo area last week revealed that most families had relocated to a nearby place known as the grazing land to provide land for sugar cane irrigation project.
About 22 families were resettled in an area known as A, while 11 were resettled in B and about 21 families were resettled in side C.
The check further revealed that houses were currently being constructed for the resettled communities.
During the last farming season in 2009, farmers in the area were not allowed to grow maize and other crops in their fields earmarked for cane growing but instead grew their crops elsewhere outside the cane growing area.
Those with cattle, pigs, goats, chickens and other animals were advised to take them to other areas outside the grazing area where the communities had been resettled.
The clearing of fields is projected to start next month in readiness for the commencement of sugar cane growing after the current season.
Melosa Namwase, a farmer of Magobbo said floods used to destroy crops in the area saying farmers previously recorded poor harvest especially two years ago.
Mrs Namwase said sugar cane growing would improve farmers’ income and that it offered hope to the area.
She, however, explained that farmers in the area had never grown sugar cane before and did not know the beauty of growing canes.
However, another female farmer who declined to be named alleged that the idea of cane growing in Magobbo was started and propagated by some people who failed to grow maize and other crops in the area.
"Those who failed to grow maize and other crops are the ones who started the idea of cane growing.
She uttered a Tonga phrase "Taaku zyibotu kuno, chita na tulapona buti ?" which means that there was nothing good in the area and wondered how people would live or survive afterwards. She said people were just told to leave their homes so that they start planting cane without consulting them. "They forced us to go saying if we don’t go, the graders will come and destroy our houses," she said.
The farmer, who was found cutting firewood from her previous house, said people had been stopped from growing maize in their fields to give room for cane growing without convincing reasons.
"We came here to grow maize with my father who lost his wife but we were later told to start growing cane, an idea we didn’t like.
"I didn’t want to grow cane because I was not satisfied with the explanation for us to relocate," she said. But Magobbo Cane Growers Trust chairperson Peter Makumbi refuted the allegations by the female farmer saying all farmers in the area were consulted and that the majority of them gave a go-ahead to the project. Mr Makumbi, who expressed discontent at those against the project, said the project was community driven while Zambia Sugar was just facilitating the process. He said the Environmental Council of Zambia (ECZ) consulted the local communities at a public meeting held in the area at which people accepted the project.
"Who is the woman who told you all those lies ? That woman lied and she really lies a lot.
"People here were consulted and many accepted the project .We started the project and then Zambia Sugar just came in to help us," Mr Makumbi said. He said though some families earlier rejected the project, the majority accepted it adding that the Magobbo Trust did not force anyone to start sugar cane growing.
Mr Makumbi explained that the idea of cane growing in the area started in 2005 due to hunger and high poverty levels, which arose from severe floods that swept away their crops.
He said in view of the floods, there was always hunger in the area and that the Government usually gave them food to mitigate the scenario hence the idea of cane growing through irrigation.
Preciously, Magobbo area had a cane-growing project known as Lukanga that failed due to the poor approach taken.
"Then we called all 73 farmers in Magobbo and we sat down, called for a meeting to chart the way the way forward.After the meeting, we all agreed to write an application to Zambia Sugar because the company had an initiative to help small out growers," Mr Makumbi saidZambia Sugar then advised that Magobbo CaneGrowers Trust should register with the Registrar of Societies and the Trust registered as advised.
According to Mr Makumbi, the European Union (EU) had offered to give the Trust financing for about 80 per cent of the total project in form of grants.
The total cost for the project is more than 5, 000, 000 euros meant for land clearing, dams and canals construction as well as working on feeder roads, offices, warehouse and other support infrastructure.
He said the Trust was currently in the process of acquiring a title deed for the cane growing area.
"From 2009 to date, we have been going to Lusaka to follow up the title deed without any progress.
"Our papers are stuck with senior officers at the Ministry of Lands. We will only access the EU funds once we have the title deed," he said.
On the likely benefits of the sugar cane growing project, Mr Makumbi said children in the area would be able to go to quality schools because farmers would get a good income from their cane.
"Once the project is successful, we will be able to send our children to local and international Universities.
"With sugar cane, there is no loss and you can’t go wrong with it. The idea behind is that all problems related to hunger and cash should end," he said.
Magobbo Cane Growers secretary Simon Mutinta said the area needed high value crops like cane growing to fight hunger and poverty.
"The beauty of irrigated crop was that you can’t go wrong in that you will be swimming in good income.
"Since the project is big, our children will have a lot of employment opportunities such as getting casual and permanent jobs in the area," he said.
He said the standard of living would change and that health services would improve, saying plans were underway to construct a clinic.
"Electricity will be connected here while the roads would also be improved.
"We have 73 farmers who are laymen and will need capacity building in many areas on growing high value cane," he said.
Indeed the Magobbo Cane Growers Trust is set to be self-sufficient in the area