6,000 farmers get solar cold rooms

6,000 farmers get solar cold rooms

SILUMESI MALUMO writes

@SunZambian

SMALL-SCALE Farmers Development Agency (SAFADA) has partnered with Aldelano, a company based in the United States to empower about 6,000 farmers with solar cold rooms.

Aldelano independent sales recruiter, Kennedy Mvula said about US$3 million would be pumped into the cold rooms’ project.

In an interview, Mr Mvula said through the programme about 2,000 cold rooms would be given to the 6,000 farmers countrywide.

He said the American company was concerned about the welfare of the farmers in Zambia hence the help.

He said the Zambian government only ends at empowering farmers with farming inputs but does not provide facilities to farmers to preserve their produce which sometimes goes to waste.

Mr Mvula said the facilities will help the farmers to store their produce for a long time as they wait to sell them.

Meanwhile, SAFADA Chief Executive Officer Boyd Moobwe said the empowerment would go a long way.

Mr Moobwe said the facilities would help farmers, especially those in rural areas, who do not have any storage facilities for their produce.

“This initiative will surely help the farmers. Many farmers have been looking forward to being empowered in such a manner because their produce usually go to waste,” he said.