By KENNEDY MUPESENI –

LIMITED access to land is delaying economic diversification of the Copperbelt Province as most land is vested in the mines, a mineral tax watch group has said.
The Government is currently pursuing an ambitious programme to encourage diversification of the economy and reduce over-dependence on mining.
Publish What You Pay Copperbelt chapter committee member Francis Banda said,  according to the interaction the organisation has had with former miners and investors, access to land was repeatedly identified as a challenge affecting the diversification to farming in the province.
“Access to land is an issue which needs attention especially by the Government as most farmers are embracing Government’s diversification calls.
“But most of them are constrained because of limited access to land, thereby hindering them from expanding their farms,” Mr Banda said.
Publish What You Pay is a consortium of non-governmental  organisations and civil society organisations advocating  transparency in the utilisation of revenue from the country’s natural resources.
Mr Banda was speaking in an interview in Kitwe yesterday.
He said most farmers within the proximity of the mining activities had less than three hectares, which was constraining expansion of production.
He said in Kitwe, land for agriculture was limited and that only Kalulushi, Mufulira and Lufwanyama had a bit of land for farming.
Mr Banda also said for ex-miners to effectively engage in agriculture and achieve the diversification goal of the country, there was need to change their mindsets.
He said Copperbelt had a lot of potential to feed the country.
“So if more farmers can have access to land, the province could be able to feed the nation and become the most diversified region in the country,” Mr Banda said.