ZAMBIA: Mpika Diocese to Establish Milling Plant
Charles Kasanda
The Catholic Diocese of Mpika has embarked on a project to establish a Maize Milling plant which is part of the initiative for self-sustainability and a contribution to food security in the Diocese.
The project was flagged-off on Thursday, 26th January 2023 when Bishop Edwin Mulandu received the Maize Mill Machine from China with the capacity of producing five hundred 50 kilograms bags of maize flour per day.
Speaking at the arrival of the Machinery at the Diocesan headquarters in Mpika, Bishop Mulandu revealed that the initiative of establishing a milling plant is a product of the diocese’s concept of value addition.
“The people of God in Mpika diocese produce a lot of maize most of which is sold raw to brief case businessmen at the time of harvest at a cheaper price. The new milling plant will add value to the maize grain thereby realizing the optimum benefit out of the produce,” Bishop Mulandu said.
Bishop Mulandu further said that the milling plant will also act as a reserve for maize as some of the harvested grain would be made available to the people at critical moments, such as rainy seasons when food is scarce thereby providing food security in the diocese throughout the year.
Bishop Mulandu has since remained hopeful that the initiative will benefit many people in the diocese in many ways including job creation.
The prelate has also made an appeal to all well-wishers to come on board and help in acquisition of solar equipment so that the project becomes self-sustaining in power generation for the entire milling plant.
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