NO EXCUSE FOR BEING FOOD INSECURE – CHANCE KABAGHE

By Lumbiwe Mwanza

WITH sufficient seed and fertilizer being produced on the African continent, there should be no excuse of being food insecure, United Capital Fertilizer (UFC) Board Chairperson Chance Kabaghe has said.

Mr. Kabaghe told The Scoop that Africa should explore and maximize on strategies aimed at ensuring food security which included the production of fertilizer. 

 He said that local companies across the African continent should develop the needed interest in fertilizer production to invest and address the long-standing issues surrounding fertilizer supply in the region.

“Time has come for Africa to feed itself. There might be some deficits in some areas but in totality, Africa should have enough food. Through intra Africa trade, countries should be able to support one another and ensure that the continent is food secure and stops importing food from outside,” Mr. Kabaghe said.

He said when most African companies invest in the fertilizer business without relying much on their Governments to provide resources for them to invest, the continent in totality would have a year-round supply of fertilizers.

He said that this would change the narrative of fertilizers being available only during the rainy season, ensuring that farmers have access to fertilizers when needed.

He further assured that UCF remained committed towards increasing its production with the view to meet the local demand as well as the regional demand.

“As UCF, we are committed to increasing production. In 2024, the plant aims at producing 100,000 metric tonnes of Urea and by 2025, we move to 300,000 metric tonnes of urea. In terms of D compound by 2024, the plant would be able to produce 800,000 metric tonnes which is far beyond Zambia’s demand. Our aim is to make the plant a regional plant to meet the continent’s demand for affordable quality fertilizer,” he said.