There has been a lot of talk in the media recently about rubber and soya bean plantations as well as the Cashew Infrastructure Development Project (CIDP). These projects allude to some of the incentives that coincide with agro-forestry, a land use management system in which trees or shrubs are grown around or among crops or pastured land; an integral part of productive agriculture.
In line with the Seventh National Development Plan (7NDP), whose vision includes the creation of green jobs and increased participation of the private sector in forestry development, Government has partnered with private sector to enhance and invest in different projects across the country. These incentives are meant to contribute towards the alleviation of poverty levels affecting the country.
Small Holder Plantations
The idea of small holder plantations is an avenue that Government and the varied stakeholders need to take on in order to change the status quo and the country’s economic outlook. Plantations which are in line with agro-forestry can assist with social and environmental benefits, including the creation of employment and infrastructure in the remote communities dotted across the country, which have high poverty levels.
There are different types of plantations dotted across the country and more stakeholders including the private sector are being encouraged to be a part of the agro-forestry transformation that can change the country as well influence for productive agriculture.
Growth of Cashew Nut Production
Visiting African Development Bank (AfDB) Executive Director Patrick Zampita, currently in the country visiting AfDB funded projects, stated that the Cashew nut project would transform and empower communities in Mongu. He said agriculture should be transformed into business and not just produce food for home consumption.
“If this project succeeds, it can be replicated in other areas,” said Mr. Zampita, adding that other countries can learn from Zambia.
The Cashew Infrastructure Development Project (CIDP) is being funded by AfDB at a cost of about US $45Million and is expected to benefit 70,000 small holder farmers in the province. It is expected that the project will revamp the cashew industry through farm expansion, rehabilitation, value addition enhancement and provision of infrastructure.
The Cashew Infrastructure Development Project (CIDP) which is being implemented over a period of five years, will cover Mongu, Limulunga, Sikongo, Senanga, Sioma, Shangombo, Sikongo, Lukulu, Kalabo and Mitete.
The project has under it 60,000 households, of which fifty percent are women headed households. The targeted households are expected to plant 100 trees each, thereby producing a total of six million plants by the end of the project.
To promote inclusive and green growth, CIDP will implement its activities, in a sustainable manner, and facilitate equitable allocation of resources to participating rural men, women and youths. Cashew trees will contribute to green growth with positive effects on environment.

African Development Bank Funding
AfDB is also funding the Lwiswishi Farm Block in Lufwanyama District which is already home to one of the largest soya beans plantations established by Global Plantations.
Private stakeholders have also come on board in Western Province to set up cashew nut enterprises such as the Western Cashew Nut Industries which bought the defunct Zambia Cashew Nut company and Barotse Cashew Company.
Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) Funding
Set up with the assistance of Citizens Economic Empowerment Commission (CEEC) under the industrial clusters and value chain programme, Western Cashew Nut Industries received K22 million in 2.7 million new trees that should earn the country K133 million per annum and create an estimated 10,000 jobs (both factory and farm labour).
The company, which has a factory and 2,000 hectares of plantation in Mongu, also has plantation in Lukulu and Senanga with an area of 1,000 and 600 hectares respectively. In Kalabo, the hectarage is 140 hectares bought from CEEC funding.
Western province, with a total land mass of 1.3 million hectares covering six districts in the region is the cashew nut hub in the country and has the potential to produce about 130,000 tonnes per year of raw cashew nuts surpassing the local demand estimated at 50,000 tonnes per year.
Agronomic Plantations
Another plantation also in existence is Zampalm which is located in Mpika. It is Zambia’s first ever palm plantation. The plantation boasts 2,800 hectares of palm plants, which produce crude palm oil that is the basic ingredient in most vegetable oils on the market in Zambia.
In Luapula Province, lies the 152 hectares in Nchelenge and Kawambwa Districts of rubber plantations with expansion masses of between 1,000 and 2,000 hectares have already been set aside in both Districts respectively. The area has more than 140 hectares of matured plants which are ready for tapping and begging investment. Initially started by government for research purposes, the country’s rubber has been rated highly competitive internationally thus giving the country an opportunity for income generation and through Gross Domestic exports.
There are other plantations that continue to grow and be funded across the country which include: Kawambwa Tea; Northern Coffee Corporation plantation at Kateshi Estates in Kasama formerly Kasama Coffee Plantation.
Green Economy
Agro-forestry through plantation can assist with the country development objective for changing the country’s food security and economic footprint. It can also contribute towards the country’s economic growth and improved household incomes in the communities in which the plantation will be established and operate.
Agro-forestry supports a “green economy” growth which is defined by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) as ‘an economy that results in improved human well-being and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks’.
Enhanced household incomes
Agro-forestry will assist with enhanced household incomes will lead to improved household food security through foreign exchange earnings derived from the varied plantations that are in existence and can also in the future be established.
In addition, a group of Finnish stakeholders interested in investing in Zambia see the Zambian forest sector providing varied opportunities from development of plantation forestry, small scale saw milling, bio-energy and furniture, joinery industry, bio-products, pulp, paper, board and non-timber products.
These investment opportunities highlight the importance of forestry and off-shoots of it such as agro-forestry. Therefore, the implementation and encouragement of plantations by government through Public Private Partnerships (PPP’s) needs to be urgently promoted as this can aid in strengthening forest management and enforcement, supporting community land tenure and strengthening community-based forest stewardship. Other benefits include improving the efficiency and sustainability of agricultural practices, increasing access to incentives and income generating activities that depend upon forest conservation and managing the demand for sustainable and productive agricultural practices.
Zambia – Plant A Million
The Plant – A – Million Initiative is a tree planting movement with the expanse and ambition to become Africa’s premier example of a ‘Tree-based economy’. The vision of the initiative is to create a ‘Tree-based Economy’ which will enable to mitigate climate change with economic benefits for Zambia. Growing your money from Trees!