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Lifestyle

The current economic recession if not well handled and supported will a properly implemented stimulus package will lead to social unrest as the cost of living continues to rise while incomes remain stagnant with more people losing jobs in both the formal and informal sector.

Zambia is among countries whose economy has been adversely affected by covid-19 pandemic with the partial lockdown lagged effects now conning to the head.  Many businesses like bars, hotels etc which also have downstream and upstream supply chains have all been adversely affected and are still struggling to get back on their feet.

Many Zambians are struggling to survive because the cost of living has gone up and average Zambians are finding it difficult to survive. Though the official statistics are reporting moderate inflation upswings, the reality on the ground is that people are hurting.

In a press statement made available to Zambian Business Times – ZBT, Chama Bowa-Mundia Social and Economic Development Manager at JCTR said that Zambia has seen a rise in the cumulative number of COVID-19 cases which now stands at 16,770 since two first cases were recorded in March 2020.

Chama said that the nation has in the past few months witnessed job losses, reduced economic activities and is projected to close the year with an economic [recession] growth rate of minus 4.2%.

JCTR added that the current context is also characterized by 16% inflation rate ( year on year for month of October 2020), discussions around Zambia’s increasing debt levels and the call by Government for debt cancelling to free up its fiscal space in view of COVID-19.

Zambia also has in the past few weeks witnessed a shortage in the supply of fuel in some parts of the country. He also explained that the shortage brings about its own challenges in the production chain crippling businesses activities as fuel is an essential input in the economy.

Furthermore, JCTR said that the cost of living for a family of five is measured by the JCTR for the month of October 2020 stood at K7,060.29, a decline of k11.08 from September basket of K7,071.37. He said that the reduction the basket can be attributed to reductions in some food items.

Chama further explained that other fruits moved from K261.19 to K206.65 for 14kg, showing a reduction of K54.54, kapenta reduced by K40.22 moving from K231.62 to K191.40 per kg, banana reduced from K181.66 to K163.57 showing a decline of K18.09, soya pieces reduced by 14.97 moving from K104.85 to K89.88.

However, that was offset by increases in items such as mealie meal which moved from K164.85 in September to K187.28 showing an increase of K22.43, vegetables increased by K39.49 moving from K31.00 in September to K70.49 in October and the price of charcoal increased by K18.67 moving from K273.33 to K292.00.

Chama said that undoubtedly, individuals, households and firms are facing significant challenges given the prevailing economic context. He disclosed that the JCTR therefore calls on the government to address the key challenges that the nation is facing. They added that the shortage of fuel needs to be urgently addressed given the important role it plays in facilitating various economic activities.

JCTR also explained that the center also continues to put emphasis on the need to guard against increases in macroeconomic variable such as inflation which further erodes the disposable incomes of households thereby compromising living standards.

Chama said that the JCTR reiterates the need to rein in an expansionary fiscal stance that has over the years threatened the delivery of robust and inclusive social and economic development. He said that “in our quest for better Zambia, the poor and the marginalized must be ignored.”

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The current economic recession if not well

Lifestyle

The Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) has arrested 10 people who include one juvenile for being in possession of counterfeit notes amounting to K42,000 and US$20,800 just in the third quarter of 2020 (July to September 2020).

DEC has noted that there has been an increase in the number of money circulation schemes (some WhatsApp scams) and has received several complaints and reports from the members of the general public regarding the matter. The commission has since urged members of the public to continue reporting such cases as well as seek clarity before investing their monies.

DEC’s Anti-Money Laundering Investigations Unit has concluded investigations into 38 cases involving over K106 million and about US$ 2 million for various money laundering related offences in the third quarter of this year.

The Commission said the formal sector dominated with 17 cases involving about K70 million and about US$2 million followed by the public sector with 12 cases involving about K31 million.

According to statement made available to Zambian Business Times – ZBT, DEC Public Relations Officer Theresa Katongo said the other seven cases involved individuals in the informal sector involving a total of about K6 million

She said five convictions were recorded from the seven concluded cases in court with one acquittal and one discontinued case. Katongo said the commission conducted nine money laundering awareness activities country wide in which 182 persons were sensitized.

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The Drug Enforcement Commission (DEC) has arrested

Agribusiness

The Grain Traders Association of Zambia – GTAZ has disclosed that government has insisted on NOT issuing farmers with export permits which will allow them to export some of their maize even when they have worked hard and achieved a bumper harvest.

GTAZ President Chambila Simwinga said the association has on various occasions engaged government to allow their members to export maize but has not received a positive response.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with the Zambian Business Times – ZBT, Simwinga said government should allow farmers to export a reasonable quantity of maize (agree a quota system) and see what impact that would have on the country’s food reserve and market prices before ruling out the option.

“We have been lobbying with the government to say let us do the quarter system where we export say 50,000 tonnes of maize or mealie meal and then do an impact analysis and see whether we have depleted our stock or still have enough maize and decide whether to export again or not, he said.”

Simwinga added that government is still using the old sampling system and has overestimated the crop focus survey. “The current sampling number is 13,400 households out of the population of over 17 million, you cannot sample 13,400 households and arrive at the quantities of 3.4 metric tonnes to be harvested, it is not possible, their is need to look at the sample size, he said.”

He also notes that as an association, they have NOT been able to meet their target of buying 500,000 metric tonnes of maize. Simwinga said the government should consider the issuance of export permits as this will bring in the much needed forex and have an impact on the exchange rates.

Zambia has the potential to expand its maize production and make this an all year crop as the demand within the region continues to expand in line with population growth. Maize prices on the export market are also rising which makes maize cropping a potential high employment and high income earner for the country.

But the Ministry of Agriculture and its Agency, the Food Reserve Agency – FRA had been directed to buy up 1 million tons from the current farming season. FRA says they can buy the requisite stocks but the challenge has been on funding from the treasury (Ministry of Finance) which has not matched the targeted stock levels.

If there was competent implementation by both Ministries of Agriculture and Finance, the country by now should have bought the 1 million tones out of the estimated 3.4 million tons and started the exporting of the reported excess to gain forex which can support the local currency, the Kwacha which has depreciated by over 60% in 2020 alone.

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The Grain Traders Association of Zambia -

Agribusiness

The demand for goat meat in Zambia is on the increase as prospects for exports and price per kilogram is even much higher than beef in most retail outlets and butcheries. The demand within the region also continues to peak with for instance, the neighboring DRC market remaining unsatisfied.

The Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock disclosed that there has been an increase in the country’s goat population and Zambia currently has an estimated population of about seven million goats.

Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock Permanent Secretary Dr. Benson Mwenya said there is an increase in the number of people who have ventured into goat breeding and ranching because of government’s plans to support the sector through exports goats to Saudi-Arabia as soon as talks are completed with the Saudi Arabian government.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Zambian Business Times-ZBT, Dr. Mwenya said the demand for goat meat on the local market has continued to grow and has also extended to the export market via Kasumbalesa to DRC and Angola.

Dr. Mwenya added that most goat farmers are facing the challenge of infrastructure as they do not have the suitable facility required for goat rearing. He also said that it is important for goat farmers to choose specific breeds which will be able to breed in specific settings as goat rearing is also dependent on the right environment.

Dr. Mwenya said some of the breeding centres that government has include Mukulaikwa breeding centre in Shibuyunji, Kanchindu breeding centre in Sinazongwe, Mutaba Breeding centre in Ndola, Luchembe breeding centre in Mpika and Lukwipa breeding centre in Rufunsa. People are welcome to visit these centre and get practical advise on how they can become viable goat farmers.

On the recurrent question of exports of 1 million goats, Dr. Mwenya told ZBT that Government is still in talks with the Saudi Arabian government concerning the export of one million goats to Saudi Arabia every year. The Govt intends to close this deal as soon as the situation gets back to normal following the covid 19 pandemic disruptions.

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The demand for goat meat in Zambia

Lifestyle

Women for Change has cited deep rooted cultural practices as one of the main reasons behind the low girls scores in exams when compared to boys. This follows the most recent grade nine examination results that showed that despite more girls sitting for exams, more boys passed the exams than girls.

Minister Of General Education Denis Wanchinga disclosed that for the 2020 grade 9 External Examination results released on the 30 October 2020, an analysis of the performance by sex showed that more boys (27%) than girls (25%) obtained certificates. The analysis further showed that more girls than boys failed the exams despite the fact that more girls than boys attempted the exams.

And Women for Change Executive Director Lumba Siyanga said girls in a typical Zambian household spend most of their time performing chores while boys in the very same households are given more free time which they use to attend to school work.

She stated that most Zambian cultures and households across the ten provinces of Zambia do not expected boys to perform house chores while the girls from a tender age are roped into the daily routines and chores.

Speaking in an an exclusive interview with the Zambian Business Times – ZBT, Siyanga said the only time that girls can do school work is when they are at school while boys have enough time to spend on their books because traditionally they are not expected to perform any house chores which girls spend most of their time doing when they are at home.

She said that her organization is working with communities, traditional leaders and parents in rural areas, educating and sensitizing them in order to change their perception on the importance of education for a girl child and how much attention girls should put into school. There is need for a balancing act to afford girls an equal opportunity with their boys counterparts.

She added that the organisation is working with schools to ensure that girls are given attention in terms of extra tuitions and extra curriculum activities in order to build on their confidence and expose them to other skills that enhance their learning.

Siyanga added that community action groups have been formed to help track and ensure that girls remain in school. “At enrollment level, more girls enroll into school as compared to boys but girls start dropping out of school due to poverty and cultural practices. There was a case in Pemba where girls that were supposed to be writing their grade seven and grade nine exams were kept in an initiation ritual for three months and were not allowed to go to school, she said.”

She also noted that it becomes an issue of ‘child labour’ if a child is not being accorded time for school activities and spends all their time doing house chore activities. For Zambia to develop, their is need for both girls and boys, women and men to become economically productive and be afforded an opportunity to reach their full potential.

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Women for Change has cited deep rooted

Companies

Power utility giant – ZESCO has granted both domestic and commercial customers a COVID-19 Relief Package to cushion the negative impact of the coronavirus pandemic on selected low households and small business. 

The three-fold relief package cancels all accumulated fixed tariff charges for over 71,000 customers; temporarily suspends recovery of accumulated outstanding debt for prepaid customers, and issued Covid-19 relief of 100 units for purchase of electricity economically disadvantaged customers (numbering about 460,000 circa 460k) whose monthly consumption of electricity does not exceed 200 units as recorded during the period of the pandemic.

In a statement made available to Zambian Business Times – ZBT, ZESCO Managing Director, Victor Mundede said that the corporation has noted the adverse economic and social impact of Covid-19 pandemic on customers that also resulted in decline in revenue for ZESCO.

He told ZBT that the corporation has decided to provide some relief to mitigate the negative impact of the Coronavirus on small business that ultimately reduced the quality of daily livelihood for its customers. He said that these measures will run up to April 2021 subjected to review.

Mundende stressed the need for ZESCO to support the multi-sectoral approach led by Government to ensure the sustainability of social and economic welfare of the people under the current environment resulting from Covid-19 Pandemic.

He added that although ZESCO Limited had themselves been negatively impacted by both the Covid 19 pandemic as well as the depreciation of the kwacha against the US Dollar, which had both reduced revenues as well as increased costs related to servicing of foreign currency denominated financial obligations, ZESCO had found it prudent to temporarily mitigate the plight of low income customers who had been severely impacted by the reduced economic activities.

He has urged all the affected customers to take advantage of this gesture and purchase electricity units under the new dispensation, and where applicable, to make a fresh start. He added that ZESCO remains on realizing its mission of making it easy for people to better their lives by enhancing service delivery.

Zesco had announced the crossings of 1 million customers and this relief package is close to 50% of their customer base. The covid 19 relief measures by Zesco needs to be embraced across various utility companies such as water companies to provide a lifeline during the pandemic.

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Power utility giant - ZESCO has granted

Agribusiness

A forage seed farmer has revealed to the Zambian Business Times – ZBT that he has managed to get revenue of K100,000 from an initial investment of about K20,000, which is 5 times (5X) return on investment in one farming season.

Elijah Mbewe is one of the qualified local seed growers among the initial 55 emerging farmers who were trained by Palanana Diary to be seed growers. Mbewe is growing cowpeas, pigeon peas, Red sunnhemp, Rhodes grass and velvet beans.

Speaking to ZBT in an exclusive interview, Mbewe stated that he started forage or pasture seed growing in the 2018/2019 farming season when he planted forage seed on his 12 hectares of land. The planting season for these crops is around mid November in Zambia.

When asked by ZBT to disclose the cost of production and the average returns earned?! he disclosed that the cost of production was roughly about K20,000 of which he managed to make total sales revenue of about K100,000.

Mbewe stated that he was able to produce 25 bags of pigeon peas of 50kg, total of 1,250kgs, cowpeas 20 bags by 50kg with a total of 1,000kgs, velvet beans produced 18 bags by 50kgs which totals to 900kgs and sunnhemp produce of 10 bags by 50kg which totaled 500kgs.

He stated that forage seed production is important because the productiveness of livestock would improved such that there is increased milk production for dairy farmers and the quality of beef is improved.

The forage farming has benefited Mbewe in such a way that there has been an increase in the household income, the soil fertility of the fields has also improved tremendously due to the fact that those crops are legumes.

Mbewe intends to plant on more than 20 hectares of land in the 2020/2021 farming season because of the benefits he has found.

Forage seed farming is a very lucrative business as there is demand for forage seeds in Zambia and beyond the region. It is high time that farmers start embracing the production of folder crops to be able to feed animals.

Especially in rural areas, where they depend on natural grazing. This has led to depletion of natural pasture, as the grazing is not controlled and as well as due to climate change. When farmers grow pasture for animals, dairy animals for instance record milk production increases when they feed on residue cowpeas.

However, on the beef side, the farmers shall be able to sale quality beef in fewer years instead of waiting for 4-6 years to make the sale. When animals are fed on hard pastures, they tend to produce a lot of gas in the stomach to digest the unpalatable feed resulting in a lot of gas emission into the environment. This is also one of the major contributing factor to climate change.

Mbewe received a cheque from the Ministry of livestock and fisheries for his hard and exemplary work in the production of forage seed farming across the country. He is ranked 2nd best in the production of forage seeds among the local farmers cohort.

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A forage seed farmer has revealed to

Sport

For the first time ever in the clubs existence, Forest Rangers Football Club has qualified for Continental football. This is a clear indication of hard and smart work truly paying off. Forest rangers managed to clinch continental football by coming out second in the league with Nkana depriving them of the prestigious national title.

In a statement made available to Zambian Business Times – ZBT by Forest Rangers media and public relations officer Christina Zulu, Forest Rangers are elated as a football club as this has never happened before in the clubs history.

“Of course, it’s a big thing for the club because it’s never happened in the past 45 years in which Forest Rangers has actually been in existence. It’s something big for the team and we are planning to get more continental slots because we are hoping this will inspire not just us, but the fans, players, technical team and the sponsors as well” stated Zulu.

Furthermore she disclosed that the inspiration behind #Chino Chaka Ni Continental is a song done by someone for the club. The man kept on foretelling that this will be our season and it finally happened. This is why the club turned it into a brand.  Zulu also gave a sneak peek on how the club is marketing their brand through selling of club mechanize like jerseys.

“We’ve so far sold about 500 jerseys or so. It’s not as good as we wanted it to be because of a number of factors, but the sales are still going on. And for anything else besides T-shirts, we are looking forward to do phone covers as well”, she said.

The clubs training stadium is Dola Hill which is currently undergoing reconstruction and renovation, but at the moment, the club is using Levy Mwanawasa Stadium. The number of fans attending the game depends on the type of game being played, but this feat will surely lead to the club attracting more fans and supporters.

“On the number of fans that actually come to the stadium, it varies depending on the game that is being played. Derbies usually do attract the most and hopefully now with CAF, we are going to get more fans watching the games”, she said.

For now, we are trying to ensure our fans feel part of the club, so we use our social media platform. We are also planning to do outreach events in the community where we have the largest fan base and also do sales promotions with reduced prices for the jerseys to ensure most fans can acquire them.

Forest Rangers are working at fully commercializing their team and taking advantage of the appearance in continental football to win the support of their loyal fans. Football main revenue streams include Sponsorhips, gate takings, TV and advertising rights as well as player sales.

Forest Rangers main sponsor is Zaffico and with continental football, the team has an opportunity to attract additional sponsors for spots on jerseys and stadium branding. The key remains for the club to maintain and grow its active fan base which is key to attracting good players as well as more sponsors and advertising.

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For the first time ever in the

Tech

My Airtel app, an app launched by Zambia’s leading telco, Airtel’s has received overwhelming response, with over 500,000 (500k) downloads.

Speaking in an exclusive zoom interview with Zambian Business Times- ZBT, Airtel Zambia Marketing Director Hussam Baday says Airtel’s innovation of introducing an app that houses all the essential services that the telecommunication company offers has received very good response from the market.

Baday told ZBT that “part of Airtels strategy is digitization of the customer behavior and that’s why we created this Airtel App. That’s why this Airtel app is kind of one stop shop where you have Airtel money and you have all the offerings and services in one app. That I think you can’t find it anywhere. You can do Airtel Money transactions and do activities like buying minutes and data, I think that’s the first time it’s been done in Zambia”.

Furthermore, he stated that the app is doing exceptionally well in the market as it has had an impressive number of downloads in the first few months of its introduction or customer launch.

“We have seen so many downloads on this Airtel App. I can tell you that there has been more than 500,000 downloads on this app in only 3 to 4 months. This is more than half a million downloads”. Baday says the main reason the app has been downloaded by more than half a million Zambians is because of the exceptional customer experience.

The app has all the key Airtel services on one platform. So if you go and navigate the app itself, you can be able to subscribe to all the different types of bundles, ikali, Soche, airtime, and you can do all the Airtel money transactions.

He stated that the other benefit is that it is very easy to navigate. You don’t have to remember the number that you want to send to; just have the contact, the contact will be integrated into the app. You just go and select the contact that you are sending to and send.

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My Airtel app, an app launched by

Tech

First National Bank – FNB Zambia has launched Tap to Pay-enabled Contactless Debit Cards onto the Zambian market in line with its digitization journey.

In a statement made available to the Zambian Business Times – ZBT, the new payment solution will make all purchases made via a Tap to Pay-enabled Point-of-Sale (POS) simpler and safer for its customers.

FNB Zambia Chief Executive Officer – CEO, Bydon Longwe stated that they are ecstatic to announce this development as it will help empower customers with a safer way to make card payments.

“We are absolutely thrilled to announce the rollout of FNB Contactless debit cards which we believe will contribute to an improved payments experience for all FNB cardholders. With our over 3,100 POS machines (approximately 15% of the national total), these Tap to Pay-enabled Contactless cards will empower customers with a more convenient and safer way to make card payments at checkout”, he said.

Furthermore he said the cards allow for customers to buy good and service without the card ever leaving their pocket.

“Contactless cards allow users to simply tap against any enabled Point of Sale – POS machine to buy goods and services, without the card ever leaving their hand. The result of this is added convenience, safety and security which is particularly important during this COVID-19 period. This innovative technology will also help to protect our customers against card-related fraud such as skimming, as they no longer have to insert their card into the point of sale device”, he said.

According to data from the Bank of Zambia, an average of 2.7 million card transactions were made per month at POS machines in the period January – June 2020. FNB aims to minimize the reliance on cash with the launch of its Tap to Pay-enabled Contactless cards, by ensuring that customers have access to safe and cost-effective payment options that accommodate their day to day needs.

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First National Bank - FNB Zambia has