• There is need to increase on hectares of land under the Prisons Service from 470 to 500 hactares for the milling plant to produce 200 tones of mealie-meal.

By DALIYA MANDA –

AGRICULTURE in Zambia has remained a great promise for enhancing economic growth and reducing poverty.
A well performing agriculture sector translates into significant improvements in the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by contributing to employment generation and broadens the country’s tax base.
To this extent, the  majority of Zambians depends on agriculture -related activities which contribute significantly to welfare improvement.
Since the early 1990s, the agriculture  sector’s contribution to GDP has averaged 18 percent.
The  sector has diversified with significant increases in the production of crops such as cotton, maize and tobacco, horticultural and floricultural products.
This has been supplemented by various stakeholders such as the Zambia Prisons Service (PS) for example.
The Prisons Service  has always  been contributing positively towards food security of the country Despite the prisons growing food to feed inmates, the surplus is offloaded on the market to benefit the general populace.
It also  intends to expand its farms in the region from 470 hectares of land to 500 hectares. Senior Assistant Commissioner John Yumbe said plans are underway to establish a milling plant in Petauke District  considering that the  area was the highest producer of maize and also being centrally allocated.
Mr Yumbe who is also Prisons director of projects noted that it was Government’s wish to explore horticulture, animal husbandry and ranching to enhance productivity in the sector.
“The Prisons Service  in Eastern Province,  has provided its own food and there is need to work on modalities to ensure it produces finished products such as mealie-meal so that people in the region are able to appreciate affordable prices for the staple food,” he said.
In order for the milling plant to be successful, there was need for the prison service to improve on yields so that the project becomes sustainable  as an objective to improve on agriculture skills and  enhance food production.
Mr Yumbe who was in the province in the company of senior officers in the agriculture field said, the team was on a feasibility study  and to check on production of maize in its prisons.
Government’s intention is to have enough maize produced before the milling plant is set. He said the plant will be in private hands for two to three years depending on the agreement to ensure sustainability and also the skills to be taught to personnel who will be in charge of the plant.
“More land has to be opened up to 500 hectares from 470 which we have in all the prison centres in Chipata, Lundazi, Katete, Petauke and Nyimba” he said.
He expressed happiness that the district administration in Petauke was willing to work with his office to secure land to enable it expand its farms.
Mr Yumbe stated that there is need to increase on hectares of land under the Prisons Service from 470 to 500 hactares for the milling plant to produce 200 tones of mealie-meal, translating into 8,000 x 25 kilogrames per day.
He also stated that challenges faced by prisons will soon be addressed starting from uniforms and infrastructure development considering that the central workshop is being improved to enable the service tailor its own uniforms and furniture and  that,  workshops in districts will also receive a fair share.
“The prison command has qualified staff in place and will ensure that the prisons tailored uniforms for prisoners and officers by revamping the workshops and also ensure maize production maximises” he stressed.
He further noted that once the milling plant becomes operational, finances raised will enable prisons in the region address most of the problems and also make the staple food affordable to the people in the region.
He stated that eastern province stands out in the production of maize as it has always been self -sufficient in feeding inmates.
Meanwhile Mr Yumbe has said K17.5 million has been set aside in this year’s budget to address the problem of prison accommodation and overcrowding challenges faced by prisoners, saying, construction has started in Luwingu where it has already been commissioned while Kalabo and Monze plants are still  under construction.
Mr Yumbe also stated that the command was aware of lack of transport experienced by prisons and that the matter will soon be addressed.
Assistant Commissioner/Farms and Industries Dr Emmanuel Sikazwe said the Zambia Prison Service has already purchased the equipment which includes tractors, planters, combine harvesters and shellers to ensure improved productivity in all the prison farms in eastern province.
“The prison farms will be equipped with modern farming equipment to ensure consistence in the production of the grain for the milling plant,” he added.
Petauke District Commissioner, Velenasi Banda, observed that her office is ready to work with the Zambia Prisons Service to ensure land is sourced for the milling plant.
Ms. Banda noted that chiefs in the area were approachable as they were ready for development and that land can also be sourced under the local authority which has already established an industrial area.
She, however, bemoaned the crime rate which was increasing going by the growing population and said the prisons are congested with the population which stands at 283 of which 48 are at Msanzala open air prison.
She stated that the area was 38 kilomentres away from Petauke Boma and those officers have difficulties to attend to urgent matters at Msanzala because they did not have a utility vehicle.
She stated that the command sent 150 blankets for inmates but the mattresses and uniforms where still not available.
“I am happy with the development of putting up a milling plant here in Patauke, but the command has to ensure numerous challenges faced by the prisons such as insufficient beddings, mattresses and lack of transport are  addressed,” she said.
The Zambia Prison Service goal is to effectively and efficiently provide and maintain human custodial and correctional services to inmates and increase industries and agricultural production in order to contribute to the well being and reform of inmates and maintenance of internal security.
For this to be realised,  there is need for the service to step up efforts of generating part of its budget allocation through innovations such as engaging in mechanised farming, milling its own mealie meal and engaging in livestock production as the funds realised will be channeled to the numerous challenges faced by prisons, ranging from prison accommodation, uniforms for both officers and inmates ultimately huwman rights and fundamental freedoms set out in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Initiatives in this direction would provide multiple benefits, including increased food and improved food security.
This will contribute to people’s health and happiness in the nation so that it can  foster economic development in a more profitable manner. ZANIS