Kuwaba Sustainable Forest Management And Youth Empowerment Project
Introduction and Justification
This project is designed by Mutakamwa Productions Limited (MPL) and Abantu Manufacturing and Trading Company (ABT) to closely work with the Forestry Department of the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment, the Ministry of Education, Members of Parliament, Youth Groups, The Traditional Leaders, Timber Harvesting and Processing Companies and Community Based Non-State Actors in the operational sites. The Free Education Policy of the New Dawn Administration has brought about the drastic increase in the number of Learners that have gone back to school. This has resulted in many learners lacking sitting space in classrooms and a higher Teacher pupil ratio. A rapid assessment conducted by MPL revealed that 60% to 70% of school-going children currently sit on the floor in all districts of Zambia. The government is addressing this new challenge through increased Constituency Development Funds of K25.7 million that have gone to areas of great need in the local communities However there is a great need for all well-meaning stakeholders to proactively support this good policy through focused actions.
Abantu and Mutakamwa have been manufacturing school desks for sale and donating others to selected schools in the country. There is now an increased demand for desks from all schools and colleges across the country because the introduction of Free Education by the New Dawn government. There was already shortage of school desks and classroom space in all constiutuencies of Zambia and this lead to the Republican President to declare in August 2021 that “ No Zambian Child Shall Sit on the Floor in Class”. ABT and MPL have taken a practical business model that aims at fulfilling the Presidential declaration and further contributing to Youth Empowerment in Zambia. It is proposed that to proactively meet the required number of school desks, the Zambia Army and other security wings can be involved to provide transport logistics of school desks in far-to-reach parts of the country.
Business Lines Open for Investment in Partnerships:
To invest in the timber industry for youth empowerment and improvement of the Green Economy and environment of selected rural Districts of Zambia.
Acquire machinery for the establishment of Timber Processing workshops in selected districts of Western, North Western, Copperbelt, and Luapula provinces to create more than 200 permanent employment opportunities and reduce unemployment in the affected areas of operation. This entails working with Timber Merchants in operational districts to provide a reliable local market for timber thereby linking rural producers to reliable markets. The benefits of this venture will include:
- Reduction of the number of learners that sit on the floor in classrooms in the targeted constituencies.
- Reduction in Youth Unemployment in the targeted rural districts
- Promotion of Zambian timber and timber products on the international markets
- Generation of foreign exchange earnings for the nation through exports of sawn timber and forest products.
- Increased and stable income earnings of the company are necessary for operational continuity and growth.
- Appreciable revenue collection by the government is necessary for development interventions in the target local communities.
- The attraction of sustainable local and foreign investment in the timber industry.
To promote District Trees Nurseries with the Department of Forestry
To develop plantations of soft and hardwood timber as a long-term economic investment and environmental sustainability strategy through the establishment of District Forest Nurseries together with the Department of Forestry and Traditional Leadership in the targeted provinces. The strategy is to plant (3) three trees for every tree cut. This will stimulate awareness creation about sustainable forest management and tree planting as desirable activities for the sustainability of livelihood of local community households and biological conservation of the physical environment.
- Capacity building of Community Forest Management Groups (CFMG) and Resource Management Groups (RMG)
To develop Seed/Planting Materials to enhance green cover ventures for Carbon Credit Trading
- To Initiate socio-economic development projects in affected areas for the benefit of women and youth;
- To Establish training centers for sensitization and education of local community members in sustainable utilization of forest resources and ecological conservation needs of their physical environment.
- Acquire a commercial sawmilling concession in a selected district and produce sawn timber for sale.
- Promote production of other forest products in the affected concession for increased income generation initiatives by the local households.
- Promote the Commercialization of agricultural value chains for the economic empowerment of women and youth in the selected districts.
- Promote Carbon Credits Trading for communities in Forest Areas
- Creation of employment opportunities in the target local communities.
- Extended income earnings to households through the provision of informal support services.
- Creation of an industrial atmosphere necessary for the promotion of community awareness about the economic importance of timber and sensitivity to sustainable utilization and conservation management of the resource and the forest environment in Zambia
Timber Industry in Zambia holds great potential for sustainable economic activity based on sustainable utilization of the abundant natural resource which the country has as a gift of nature. KUWABA Timber Processing recognizes this potential and is doing the best it can toward the growth of the sector. The company needs financial support from other key players in the industry and logistical support providers to accelerate the achievement of its goals.
MPL has partnered with like-minded institutions to implement sustainable economic programs for the empowerment of women and youths in Zambia, especially those living in rural parts of the country. The company has a tender to supply 200 trucks of rosewood timber and is seeking an operational loan of five hundred thousand Zambian Kwacha (ZMW500,000.00) to be repaid within six months. The management Team is ready to engage and negotiate over the request.
