By JUDITH NAMUTOWE –

THE Zambia Cooperative Federation (ZCF) Limited and Toyo Agro and Motorcycle Limited yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at supporting the farming community across the country.
The MoU entails that the Cooperative movement would market and sell agricultural equipment, motor cycles, generator sets, spare parts and solar products such as  solar modules, inverters, charge controllers and batteries.
Speaking during the signing ceremony, ZCF director general James Chirwa urged Cooperative movement  to harness the initiatives as they would bring an addition stream of income for its sustenance.
“From this MoU Toyo Agrio will market its products through our structures. The more we bring such initiatives in our structures the better for our members,” Mr Chirwa said.
Mr Chirwa said ZCF Choma District Cooperative Marketing Union (CDCU) had been identified as the pilot district to actualise this partnership because of the potential it had in terms of the products Toyo was marketing.
Mr Chirwa said the movement identified CDCU because it was well placed in terms of marketing Toyo Agro products and that people’s livelihood was dependant of agriculture.
Mr Chirwa also urged the cooperatives  s to ensure they became attractive for future partnerships by doing what was expected of them as such initiatives come with a new stream of income.
And Toyo Agro director Ishmail Khankhara said the organisation wanted to ensure the farming community was  given the necessary support.