ECM Agri Limited has announced plans to develop a 4000 hectares commercial farm in Zambia’s Copperbelt, along the Luswishi River.
With an estimated crop and livestock production cost of about US$1.5 million, the project intends to grow soya beans, wheat and maize, and rear 800 herd of cattle and sheep.
According to an environmental impact assessment (EIA) report and resettlement action plan submitted by the firm to the Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) crops will be grown under both irrigation and rain-fed.
In addition, the total area to be designated for the grazing land is approximately 1,000 hectares situated within the farm area.
“The projected production quantities are 7.5 tonnes per hectare for wheat, nine tonnes per hectare for irrigated maize, eight tonnes per hectare for rain-fed maize, four tonnes per hectare for irrigated soya beans and 3.5 tonnes per hectare for rain-fed soya beans,” reads part of the EIA report.
The report further mentions that apart from farming activities, several activities will be related to the project.
These include land preparation for farming activities, including land preparation for planting, construction of farm buildings and access to roads installation of power and water reticulation systems, including centre pivots and boreholes.
