The Copperbelt, long synonymous with copper mining, is set to see the emergence of a new “C” as cassava takes centre stage in a strategic agricultural and biofuel initiative.
A new project is aiming to transform the livelihoods of Zambian farmers while establishing a crucial new value chain for ethanol fuel production under the national ZS 868 and ZS 869 biofuel standards.
Dr. Joas Mukanda Chihangu, executive director of Schweizer Agriculture, is championing an initial 1,000-hectare cassava project on the Copperbelt, designed to serve as a pilot for nationwide agricultural upliftment. For years, farmers in districts like Masaiti and Luanshya have struggled with poor yields due to lack of finance, basic tools, and low-quality seed.
A partnership between Schweizer Agriculture and Ayoun Energy is set to change this narrative. Schweizer Agriculture is equipping farm cooperatives with climate-smart seed varieties, regenerative soil practices, and irrigation technologies. Furthermore, farmers are receiving training in financial literacy to secure access to credit.
The project links agricultural output directly to industrial demand. Ayoun Energy is planning to establish filling stations that will create a market for ethanol-blended transport fuel. The ethanol plant, currently under construction in Luanshya by a third-party investor, will utilize the cassava harvest as its primary feedstock.
If successful, the Copperbelt cassava model is slated for replication across other key regions, including Luapula, Northern, Muchinga, Western, and North-Western provinces, positioning agriculture as a significant new pillar of Zambia’s economic growth.
