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FOOD, COSMETICS FACE TOUGHER RULES

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ZCSA consults stakeholders on 42 proposed compulsory standards, with new rules expected to take effect in 2027 By Francis Maingaila ❤️ Lusaka, Zambia24 — 18-10-2026 — The Zambia Compulsory Standards Agency (ZCSA) is planning to introduce 42 additional compulsory standards to ensure that products sold on the Zambian market meet the required safety and quality standards. ZCSA Public Relations Officer Onishias Maamba told Zambia24 in a statement that the move was intended to protect consumers from unsafe products, safeguard public health and reduce harm to the environment. Maamba said the agency had completed drafting the proposed standards and was consulting stakeholders in the public and private sectors before they were adopted. He said the proposed standards covered chemicals, food products, beverages, cigarettes, Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), cosmetic creams, lotions and skin-care gels, disposable and reusable sanitary pads, and maize bran, among other products. Maamba said the consu...

CARBON PROJECTS MUST DELIVER

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Government calls for carbon initiatives to improve community livelihoods and restore land as the Emissions Reduction Program advances in Muchinga Province. By Francis Maingaila ♥️ Lusaka, Zambia24 — 18-10-2026 — GOVERNMENT has called for carbon projects to deliver tangible benefits to local communities by improving livelihoods and protecting natural resources from exploitation. Director of Green Economy and Climate Change Ephraim Shitima said the Emissions Reduction Program (ERP), being implemented under the Transforming Landscapes for Resilience and Development (TRALARD II) project in Muchinga Province, would support land restoration and improve community livelihoods. Mr Shitima was speaking at the close of the TRALARD II Project Implementation Support Mission in Muchinga Province. World Bank TRALARD II Task Team Leader Ambroise Brenier said the ERP was designed to link natural resource management with benefits for local communities. Mr Brenier pledged the World Bank Group’s continued...

WIDOWS, ORPHANS NEED MORE THAN BIRTHDAY PARTIES

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Musanu urges businesses, investors and Zambians abroad to provide year-round support for vulnerable families and help children build a better future By Francis Maingaila ♥️ Lusaka, Zambia24 — 17-10-2026 — Widows and orphans need more than birthday parties and occasional donations to get through life, Zambia Diaspora Chamber of Commerce (ZDCC) president Freud Musanu has said, urging businesses, investors and Zambians living abroad to support vulnerable families throughout the year. Mr Musanu said this during the second instalment of the Zambia-USA Monthly Inclusive Donations and Birthday Celebration Initiative at UMOYO Widows and Orphanage Centre in Lusaka on Saturday, where he appealed to businesses and other well-wishers to look beyond the celebrations and help meet the everyday needs of widows and children. He said while birthday parties brought happiness to residents, the real challenge was ensuring that they continued receiving care and support long after the guests had left. ...

120 TONNES OF SOYA OPEN DOORS TO CHINA

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CAMCO says Zambia’s first soybean consignment to China offers new market opportunities for local farmers as Government targets 10 million tonnes of maize annually by 2031. By Francis Maingaila ♥️ Lusaka, Zambia24 — 16-10-2026 —  Zambia’s first soybean consignment to China has opened a potential new market for local farmers, with 120 tonnes of the crop dispatched to the Asian country as agricultural cooperation between the two countries continues to expand. CAMCO Group Chairman Li Tie said CAMCO Demonstration Farms dispatched the consignment on October 10, 2026, marking an important step towards accessing the Chinese soybean market. Mr Li said the shipment provided practical experience in meeting quality standards, handling export procedures and managing transportation requirements for the Chinese market. He said access to reliable export markets could create new opportunities for Zambian farmers by linking agricultural production to international demand. Mr Li said CAMCO remained commi...

MUCHINGA EXPANDS CARBON PROJECT

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Three more districts join World Bank-backed programme as province seeks to protect forests, boost local benefits and speed up implementation. By Francis Maingaila ♥️ Lusaka, Zambia24 — 15 October 2026 — Muchinga Province has added Chinsali, Nakonde and Shiwang’andu to a World Bank-backed emissions reduction programme, bringing the number of participating districts from five to eight as Zambia looks to protect its forests while unlocking their economic value. The expansion comes as the provincial administration pledges greater support for the Transforming Landscapes for Resilience and Development (TRALARD II) project, with the World Bank urging stakeholders to move faster and ensure that communities see real benefits from protecting their natural environment. Mary Kasoka Mwiikisa, Communication Officer for the TRALARD II Project under the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment, said the three districts had been brought into the programme as efforts to strengthen implementation c...
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New quality deal targets fuel measurement disputes, product safety and stronger regional trade. By Francis Maingaila ♥️ Lusaka, Zambia24 — 14-10-2026 — Zambia and Mozambique have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at easing cross-border trade, improving product safety and tackling fuel measurement disputes along the Beira Corridor, where differences in recorded petroleum quantities can lead to costly disagreements. Permanent Secretary Crusivia C. Hichikumba said the agreement brings together Zambia’s three national quality institutions—the Zambia Bureau of Standards (ZABS), the Zambia Compulsory Standards Agency (ZCSA) and the Zambia Metrology Agency (ZMA)—and Mozambique’s National Institute of Standardization and Quality (INNOQ). She said the partnership would allow the institutions to work together on standardisation, product testing, measurement, accreditation and technical training. Hichikumba said closer cooperation would help businesses avoid unnecessary repea...

HOUSING CAN UNLOCK JOBS, INVESTMENT

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Affordable finance, local manufacturing and private capital seen as key to expanding homeownership and driving Zambia’s economic growth By Francis Maingaila ♥️ Lusaka, Zambia24 — 14-10-2026 — Zambia can use housing as an engine of economic development, but the benefits must reach ordinary citizens, not only property developers and people who can already afford expensive homes. Speaking ahead of the 42nd African Union for Housing Finance (AUHF) Conference and Annual General Meeting, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance and National Planning Mulele Muketo Mulele said housing should be treated as a driver of economic growth, with benefits extending beyond the construction of houses. Mulele said Zambia needed practical solutions to help low-income households access housing finance while creating opportunities for local businesses, workers and investors. He said housing development could stimulate local manufacturing, create jobs, support planned urbanisation and help househ...