By KENNEDY MUPESENI –
THERE is need for more value-addition activities to sustain the country’s economy, Copperbelt University (CBU) dean in the school of business, Biemba Maliti has said.
Professor Maliti said there was need for increased value addition to various products to fully diversify the country’s economy.
“We are failing to diversify the economy from copper because of limited value addition activities in the country to create appetite for raw materials to feed industries,” Prof Maliti said.
He said more should be done in the area of timber and food processing.
“The mukula tree we are exporting in its raw form needs to be processed into finished products before leaving the country; we have also abundant mangoes and pineapples which go to waste due to limited value addition activities in the country.
“We have been failing to diversify our economy because we are too comfortable as a copper-producing country, that is why we need to shift our focus for us to move forward,” Prof Maliti said.
He said the CBU school of business stood ready to work with the Government and other stakeholders to champion the diversification agenda in the country.
Prof Maliti said Zambia had massive potential which would only be realised if the entrepreneurial mentality was inculcated in the youths and those leaving high institutions of learning.
He said entrepreneurship was important  in the economic development of any country and cited Israel as an example of countries which developed because of the massive inputs from its entrepreneurs.