Lusaka show opens
By GILBERT KAIMANA
THE anticipation is over, as the gates to the Show Grounds finally open today for the 84th edition of the Zambia Agriculture and Commercial Show (ZACS).
However, the promise that this year’s show will contribute significantly to the achievement of sustainable development will not fade away today.
Rather for many years to come, the country stands to benefit from the business linkages and deals that would be struck during the next five days.
From the list of foreign exhibitors participating at this year’s show, a good number of them would be encouraged to come to Zambia to set up business.
Of course year in year out, foreign exhibitors come and return after the five days, and a good number of them get encouraged to return and invest in Zambia.
But this time around, there is more hunger to attract them by the various Government wings to attract investors in their respective sectors, as there are agencies reformed and oriented to wooing investors who would be exhibiting at this year’s show.
Indeed, as they will learn from presentations to be conducted at pavilions of institutions that have been reformed such as the Zambia Development Agency, Zambia Tourist Board, Private Sector DevelopmentReform Programme, Patents and Company Registration Office and the various charters that have been created in Government ministries, the foreign exhibitors would surely be overwhelmed with the so many opportunities in Zambia and will be more than encouraged to come and invest in Zambia.
One of the major sectors synonymous with the agriculture show is the livestock industry. The creation of the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries is an exciting addition to the benefits of this year’s show.
Just as well many Zambian businesses would be privileged to interact with the foreign exhibitors to strike deals for supplies and partnerships. This is an opportunity for organisations like the Zambia Chamber of Small and Medium Associations to sell their bright ideas and projects by their members.
The 84th show has attracted more than 1,000 local and foreign exhibitors. Idealistically speaking, this should translate into about 1,000 business deals.
Indeed, while the 84th edition of the ZACS is just like any other - there is a lot at stake this time around.
The mindset of many Zambian businesses is now hungrier for success than in the past, going by the efforts they are putting in to take advantage of Government policies and reforms.
For instance, this year Zambia has recorded a bumper harvest not witnessed in many years. This is due to the fact that many farmers put in a lot of efforts to take advantage of the Government decision to reform the Fertiliser Support Programme (FSP) to Farmer Input Support Programme, which has really paid off.
In the mining, tourism, agriculture, energy, manufacturing and other sectors, the Government is trying to woo investors as equity investors, private investors or through Public Private Partnerships.
The Nansanga Farm Bloc in agriculture, the development of the northern circuit of tourism, the pending development of power projects like the Kafue Gorge Lower, and the development of Multi-Facility Economic Zones are some of the projects the Government departments would be marketing at the show with the hope of attracting investors.
The show is coming in the aftermath of the global financial crunch, which means that organisations that failed to exhibit last year are there this time around. If confessions from some artists found yesterday painting some pavilions is anything to go by, this year’s show should be able to increase on revenues and sales.
Therefore, for the next five days, Zambian entrepreneurs have the chance to exchange notes and proposals for partnerships with their foreign colleagues, while the many foreign exhibitors should take advantage of the massive potential in Zambia, which would be ably marketed during the show.
The deals to be struck at this year’s show should be able to help Zambia achieve sustainable development in many ways than one.
