"The GOAT Media Centre"

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...

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...

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...

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...

Government targets 10,000MW of electricity generation by 2031, with investment in renewable energy and infrastructure to expand access and support industrialisation. By Francis Maingaila ♥️  Lusaka, Zambia24 — 12-10-2026 — Zambia is targeting 10,000 megawatts of electricity generation by 2031 as Government works to increase power supply, attract investment and extend electricity access to underserved communities. Ministry of Energy Permanent Secretary for Electricity, Eng Arnold Simwaba, told Zambia24 in a statement issued by the Ministry’s Principal Public Relations Officer, Bob Sianjalika, that Government was implementing policy and regulatory reforms to attract investment, increase electricity generation and improve access to reliable and affordable energy. The 2026 Energy Week runs from October 12 to 16 under the theme, “Bridging the Energy Gap – Accelerating Universal Access and Industrialisation.” Eng Simwaba said the theme reflected Government’s commitment to addressing the ener...

NGOCC calls for stronger enforcement of child marriage laws, expanded fast-track courts and increased investment in girls’ education as defilement cases remain high. By Francis Maingaila ♥️  Lusaka, Zambia24 — 13-10-2026 — The Non-governmental Gender Organisations’ Coordinating Council (NGOCC) says child marriage continues to threaten the education, health and future of thousands of Zambian girls, despite a decline in prevalence from 29 per cent in 2018 to 23.9 per cent in 2024. NGOCC Executive Director Anne Mbewe-Anamela says nearly one in four young women still marry before the age of 18, warning that the progress made in reducing child marriage must be strengthened through sustained investment in girls’ rights, education and protection from abuse. In a statement issued on Tuesday to commemorate the 2026 International Day of the Girl Child, under the theme “End Child Marriage and Invest in Girls’ Rights,” the council said child marriage continued to deprive girls of their right to ed...

UNICEF calls for stronger services and measurable results as Zambia reviews child protection reforms for 2028–2032. By Francis Maingaila ♥️ Lusaka, Zambia24 — 13-10-2026 — Zambia’s efforts to improve children’s lives risk falling short without adequate funding, stronger protection services and sustained government commitment. Children continue to face poverty, violence, exploitation, child marriage and teenage pregnancies, raising questions about whether existing laws, policies and programmes are translating into meaningful protection for those who need it most. Ministry of Community Development and Social Services Permanent Secretary Angela Chomba Kawandami said the review provided an important opportunity for Zambia to assess progress in child protection, identify gaps and agree on priorities for the 2028–2032 reform period. She said the review should help government and its partners move beyond laws and policy commitments to ensure that children receive the protection and support th...