Zambezi Agro-Commercial project starts to take shape
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Agriculture Hub director, Mmadima Nyathi has told Mmegi Business that negotiations with the consultant are scheduled to start this week. “We have not appointed anyone yet, but we have identified a consultant who will carry out feasibility studies for the project. We will be having our first meeting this week,” she said.
It is estimated that setting up the water infrastructure alone in the project will cost about $780 million (P6.9 billion). The project involves extraction of water from the Zambezi into 20,000 hectares of greenfield farming area in Kazungula. The second phase aims to pump the water to the Pandamatenga area to irrigate the current farms or the new farming area that will be created.
The situation is exacerbated by the ruling party’s admission that some of its most important election promises remain unfulfilled. This is not the change many Batswana had expected. The UDC was elected into power on a strong promise to improve lives, create jobs, protect workers and repair public services. It is therefore, not enough for the party to point only to new ministries, policies and long-term plans. These may be necessary, but...