. Nordstrom

By KENNEDY MUPESENI –
THE Swedish Government has pledged to assist Zambia create more than 120,000 jobs in the agricultural sector.
Swedish Ambassador to Zambia, Lena Nordstrom said Zambia and Sweden had a strong partnership in development and that her government was committed to ensuring such relations manifested in a positive manner, citing cooperation in the agricultural sector.
“As you know we signed an agreement with ZNFU worth K40 million from 2013 to 2016 which will see more than 120,000 jobs being created, 30,000 women farmers having access to financial services and markets,” Ms Nordstrom said.
She said this during the handover of an incubator worth K60, 000 to a farmer in Palabana, under the Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU) Innovation fund. The incubator will assist farmer groups in hatching eggs.
ZNFU vice-president Graham Rae said the Innovation fund was a initiated following concerns to help women farmers in the agricultural sector.
“This initiative seeks to economically empower women entrepreneurs so as to bring them to a level where they can fully participate and contribute to the agriculture sector profitably,” he said.
Doreen Mwanza the beneficiary of the loan facility said the incubator would help grow the rearing of village chicken as well as quails.
Mrs Mwanza a former banker has sold more than 2,400 pigs, more than 50 heads of cattle with the production of more than 2,500 chickens and more than 7,500 quails.
“The production of village chicken and quails are expected to double and the incubator will assist most poultry farmers in Chongwe grow their business as they will not be moving long distances  to have their eggs hatched,” she said.