Small scale farmers in Nampundwe have received more livestock under the five-year Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) sustainable livelihoods livestock project intended to widen ownership of cattle and create more wealth.

A total of 58 cattle and 200 goats were gifted to new beneficiaries, bringing the total number of cattle provided to farmers to 860, as well as over 4,000 goats, since the inception of the project.

Shibuyunji District Livestock Officer Richard Makanda commended the efforts of KCM and its partners in supporting the government’s vision to empower Zambian households and diversify the local economy through agricultural activities.

“As the government, we cannot manage on our own to empower everyone with animals like it is being done here. But through partnerships like this one with KCM and Village Water, we can see more rural communities being empowered,” he said.

KCM General Manager for Power, Energy and CSR Howard Chilundika expressed the company’s pleasure at witnessing the progress that Nampundwe residents are making in expanding the livestock project and improving their livelihoods. 

“We are pleased to hear that Nampundwe’s communities have taken very good care of their animals. Such news gives us the impetus to continue supporting projects like these,” he stated. “We will continue to support the government’s vision to end hunger in Zambian homes through our sustainable livelihoods programmes.”

KCM’s sustainable livelihoods livestock project aims to help more than 2,700 people become self-sufficient through the keeping of livestock. Beneficiaries are provided with basic animal husbandry training and receive livestock from their community peers via the project’s ‘pass-on’ model. 

The US$2.5 million project was launched in 2012 and is supporting small scale farmers in Nampundwe, Chililabombwe and Chingola peri-urban areas.