Africa-Press – Zambia. The Zambia Forestry and Forest Industries Corporation-ZAFFICO has covered seven thousand heaters of plantations under its expansion project, Public Relations Manager, Ireen Chipili has said.
Ms. Chipili said because of its expansion project, ZAFFICO now has its plantations sitting on 55 thousand hectares of land in five provinces of Copperbelt, Muchinga, Northern, Luapula, and North-western.
Ms. Chipili disclosed that 48 thousand of the 55 thousand hectares of plantations are sitting on the Copperbelt. She said as a result of the expansion project, over five thousand seasonal jobs were created, particularly on the Copperbelt in 2021.
Ms. Chipili said during the year the company employed a lot of people at different stages of forest management, such as weeding, planting, security, fire prevention among others.
Ms. Chipili added that the corporation will continue with the expansion and establishment of exotic plantations so as to continue contributing to the country’s economic well-being and to create more jobs.
“We are employing people in such areas. It will be interesting when you go to Shiwang’andu for example, you will find that people are no longer sleeping in grass-thatched houses.
This is because of the jobs that we continue to create, our people are able to buy iron sheets, cement, and other reliable building materials,” she said.
She said ZAFFICO is not only transforming areas in which it has set foot through job creation but also through the implementation of different tangible corporate social responsibility programmes.
Ms. Chipili added that through its plantation expansion project, the corporation is also contributing to the preservation of the environment and counter climate change.
Meanwhile, Justine Mulenga an employee in Mpongwe district said ZAFFICO has transformed his life such that he is able to support his children with school requisites.
Mr. Mulenga said he is also able to meet the health requirements for his family members besides being able to provide basic food commodities at home. “I was just a mare villager who spent most of my time drinking beer with those who managed to buy. But ever since I was offered this job, things have changed. I would say ZAFFICO has taught me to be a responsible and caring father and husband,” Mr. Mulenga said.
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