Zambeef Taking Bull by its Horns

Firm swinging over climate change storm

By Linda Mupemo 

Zambeef Cheese Maker Lucy Zulu shows off one of her latest products. 

Zambia,like many other countries world over, is grappling with adverse effects of climate change. 

Climate change has led to the country experiencing natural calamities lately such as floods, water scarcity, droughts and food insecurity. 

Following the drought the nation experienced in the 2023/2024 farming season, Government is implementing various social protection programmes aimed at mitigating hunger in vulnerable households. 

However, eradicating food insecurity in Zambia calls for concerted efforts from various stakeholders especially in the agriculture sector. 

Zambeef Products, one of the largest agri-businesses in Zambia, is a player in the agriculture sector that has stepped up its  efforts in food production to help enhance food security in the country.

The integrated business is mainly involved in the production, processing, distributing and retailing of beef, chicken, milk, pork, eggs, edible oils, stock feed, flour and bread. 

The firm has 275 retail outlets dotted across Zambia as well as in  some West African countries such as Nigeria and Ghana. 

Zambeef Products Corporate Affairs Manager Ezekiel Sekele says the company invested over 120 million United States dollars in its  enterprise in June , 2022 as part of its expansion project,  scheduled to be implemented within a five - year period and expected to be completed in 2027. 

Mr. Sekele explains that the investment was channeled   to the two Zambeef farms in Chisamba District in Central Province namely Kalundu Dairy and Zambeef Chisamba Huntley Farm as well as the Zambeef Mpongwe farm on the Copperbelt Province. 

He states that this is part of the expansion project of the company with a view to boosting economic growth in the country. 

“Our expansion plan includes the establishment of a flour factory in Mpongwe and a cheese factory in Chisamba. We have also started growing winter maize to beef up the availability of mealie meal, our staple food on the market,” he says. 

Mr. Sekele adds that the company has adopted climate smart agriculture strategies such as irrigation farming hence it is producing food all year round. 

        A Zambeef irrigated wheat field 

The enterprise has invested in irrigation equipment, among them center pivots, utilised to irrigate crops such as wheat and maize. 

He states that  Zambeef contributes 1 percent to Zambia’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) hence its expansion is expected to boost economic growth in the country. 

Noteworthy is that Zambeef Products has a total of 8,000 direct employees hence the expansion of the company will create more jobs for the citizenry. 

Additionally, the company has partnerships in its supply chain with 17,000 small holder farmers thereby contributing to the growth of the agri-food chain. 

The expansion project of the agribusiness has come with the construction of environmentally controlled houses for cows and chickens at the  Zambeef farms.

Cows in an environmentally controlled house.

Zambeef Kalundu Dairy Veterinary Manager Pacleigh Malambo states that the company has constructed five  320- capacity housing units for cows. 

Dr. Malambo explains that the spacious housing units have provided a conducive environment for the cows hence preventing them from catching diseases and having heat stress.

This has in turn enhanced animal health and increased milk production. 

Dr. Malambo adds that the company is devising ways of increasing beef production amid the climate crisis. 

"The drought has taught us the need to invest in a breeding programme on the farm. We intend to breed the next generation of cows using animals with the best genes. This will ensure we have a good product all year round hence contribute to food security,” he says. 

As Zambeef increases its production, promoting environmental protection in the agrifood system is top on its agenda. 

Zambeef Products Poultry General Manager James Loloji says the company has transitioned from using charcoal for heat energy to using coal. 

Mr. Loloji states that the move is line with the company’s plans of totally going green and totally doing away with environmentally harmful practices such as deforestation. 

He recalls that the use of charcoal for breeding, a practice used in the past, made  chickens susceptible to respiratory diseases owing to the inhalation of carbon monoxide. 

The development entails that the company is achieving its goal of feeding the nation while at the same time meeting the health standards of the products. 

“We are now using environmentally controlled houses and trucks. This has reduced mortality by 4 percent. Additionally, we are able to reach the industrial weight in a short period of 32 days,” Mr. Loloji says.

He adds that the investment has improved the quality of products the organisation is supplying  to the market.

“As we transport our chickens using environmentally controlled trucks, we are sure that our customers in Luanshya and those in Nakonde will receive chickens which are in the same condition,” he says. 

The agribusiness has an ambitious goal of hatching 1 million eggs per week and it is slowly getting closer to attaining that.

“We have expanded the hatchery and the breeder farms. Prior to the commencement of the expansion project, we used to hatch 200,000 eggs per week. Currently, we are at 800,000 eggs per week,” Mr. Loloji says. 

The expansion of the agribusiness implies that the company will require more partners to continue to contribute to feeding the nation.

Zambeef Products Dairy Processing Manager Bartholomew Mbao says the soon to be launched cheese factory is producing 70 tonnes of cheese per month and 35 percent of the milk is supplied by small scale farmers through the out-grower scheme.

“We are targeting to have a 50 percent supply from our suppliers. We are calling on more small holder farmers to come on board,” Mr. Mbao says. 

This feature article was published in Zambia Daily Mail newspaper on 24th September, 2024.