Luapula Expo is here

IT must have started from an individual’s mind who upon gazing at what the province is endowed with, felt there must be some action applied to turn around the wheel and put in motion for the purpose of adding value to the natural resources.

Such could have happened and with the high sense of conviction, this individual then set up a team of think-tanks to lay down the foundation for the event which has now caught the eye and attention of the international investor and are on the way to not only sample but make the province their choice of planting their investment.

This is no other than the Nickson Chilangwa Team that mooted the idea for the opening up the province to the would-be investor in various sectors of development.

As can be seen and read on the official website, the Luapula Provincial Administration working in conjunction with the Ministry of National Development Planning, Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry, Ministry of Tourism and Arts, the Zambia Development Agency and the Zambia Tourism Agency have partnered to host the Luapula Expo-2017 which is a five (5) day economic and investment tour of Luapula Province, from the 26th to 31st July 2017.

The Expo, the first of its kind, will be held under the theme “Linking Investors to Luapula Province to unlock the Economic Potential” and President Edgar Lungu is expected to officially grace the week-long Expo, which is poised to be a permanent feature on the annual Zambian Corporate Investment calendar.

The Expo targets to market the province with reference to seven thematic investment areas namely: Agriculture, Tourism, Mining, Aquaculture, Energy, Livestock and Forestry. The Expo focuses on connecting both local and foreign ambitious investors looking for new locations to base their businesses.

With a wide set of opportunities available in the province as listed investment areas, investors have the choice to explore and take advantage of a range of benefits and incentives that have been packaged to undertake business.

Luapula Expo & Investment Conference

One would wonder as to what this Expo which is attracting so many local and foreign interests is all about. The Luapula Expo & Investment Conference 2017 is a business tour, expo and conference set to unlock the numerous investment opportunities found within the great province.

The website further explains that activities during the event create a highly interactive platform where a high calibre of investors and business professionals can meet, network, conduct business and share best practices.

The event is about Luapula’s huge economic potential, drawing to the province local and international investors and businesses to gain a 3-dimensional appreciation and explore the untapped business potential in Luapula.

Investors identified and invited are those that have shown interest in the priority the sectors such as tourism, mining and agriculture.

What is Luapula Province all about?

Named after the Luapula River, it is one of Zambia’s ten provinces, located in the north of the country with its provincial capital based in Mansa.

The province has a surface area of approximately 50.566 (km) and has about 1 million people with an annual growth rate of 2.8 percent according to the Central Statistics Office record of 2010.

It is subdivided into eleven (11) administrative Districts namely: Milenge, Chipili, Chembe, Samfya, Mansa, Mwense, Kawambwa, Nchelenge, Mwansabombwe, Lunga and Chienge.

With the exception of Milenge, Chipili, and Chienge Districts, all other districts are linked by tarred roads while Lunga District in the wetlands is accessed by boats. The province enjoys the benefits of a good communication network as most of the districts are serviced by all the three mobile network providers.

Luapula province is a haven of investment opportunities and has great potential for Agriculture, Rubber production, Tourism, Mining, Forestry, Hydro-Power & Aquaculture.

The province has good arable land, good rainfall patterns, abundant water resources and wetlands and boasts of having 8 waterfalls, amongst them the Lumangwe which is the second largest waterfalls in Zambia after Victoria Falls.

Luapula also has enormous reserves of copper ore deposits and several other mineral deposits. Other metals found in the province include manganese, iron, silver, gold and precious stones like emeralds.

However, from a glance, the historic event has the following schedule;

Wednesday 26 July 2017

Location: Samfya
Secretariat: Registration of Delegates
Highlights: Investor’s Welcome Cocktail, Boat Cruise
Investment Areas: Tourism & Hospitality

Thursday 27 July 2017

Location(s): Mansa, Kawambwa
Secretariat: Registration of Delegates
Highlights: Mansa Business Opportunities, Mumbuluma & Musonda Falls, Isubilo Palm Oil Plantation, Investors Dinner
Investment Areas: Energy, Tourism, Agriculture

Friday 28 July 2017

Location(s): Mansa
Secretariat: Registration of Delegates

Highlights: Official Opening by President Edgar C Lungu

Investments Presentation

Forestry Presentation

Fisheries Presentation

Mining & Oil Exploration  Presentation

Energy Presentation

Transport Presentation

Facilities & Border Infrastructure Presentation

Trade Opportunities with DRC – Presentation

Agro-Processing Presentation

Break-Away Sessions

Dinner

Investment Areas: Agriculture, Fisheries, Tourism, Mining, Forestry, Hydro-Power & Aquaculture.

Saturday 29 July 2017

Location(s): Kawambwa, Mansa

Secretariat: Registration of Delegates

Highlights: Rubber Plantation, Umutomboko Ceremony, Lake Mweru, Dinner

Investment Areas: Tourism, Forestry, Rubber

Sunday 30 July 2017

Location: Kawambwa

Secretariat: Registration of Delegates

Highlights: Kawambwa Tea Estates, ZAFFICO Forest Lumangwe Waterfalls, Chishinga Ranch, Investors Dinner

Investment Areas: Forestry, Agriculture, Tourism

Nevertheless, the province is vigorously being marketed for investment in the rearing of livestock such as cattle, goats, pigs and poultry. This is one of the untapped opportunities available in the Province, considering that Luapula is also livestock disease free. The province is looking for credible investors to invest in the rearing of livestock of their choice.

In the area of forestry and rubber plantation, the province has a total hecterage of 807 Ha of tree plantations scattered across seven (7) districts, with Milenge District alone having at least 45,000 eucalyptus trees that have matured and ready for harvesting. 

With regard to rubber plantations, the province has 152 hectares in Nchelenge and Kawambwa Districts and for future expansion, about 2,000 and 1,000 hectares have already been set aside in Nchelenge and Kawambwa Districts respectively.

With an average of 450 trees per hectare, the province has 57,600 fully grown trees ready for tapping. The rubber plantation project was initially started by the government for research purposes. However, given the positive and encouraging results, the province is promoting private sector investment in this area.

Mining is another sector in the province with enormous mineralisation of manganese ore deposits and several other mineral deposits. Minerals available include Copper, Iron, Manganese, Lime, Gemstones and Gold among other minerals. These minerals are available in specified districts in the province.

However, currently, only the mining of manganese is more prevalent but is also done at a very small scale due to limited capital for mining operations.

And in the trade and investment potential with the Democratic Republic of Congo, the two Governments have signed a Public Private Partnership (PPP) agreement with GED Africa to construct a bridge at Kashiba across the Luapula River, starting in the year 2018.

This project plus the on-going project to complete tarring of the Pedicle road will increase trade between the Zambia and Democratic Republic of Congo (RDC) and the entire SADC and COMESA regions.

As for agriculture, the province falls within the high rainfall belt classified as Region III with an average annual rainfall of over 1,000mm. Rainfall levels are high throughout the province ranging from 1000 to 1,500mm per annum.

In an effort to attract public and private investment in the agriculture sector Government has intensified its strategy in policy implementation through infrastructure roll out such as roads, development of the Luena farm block and investment in research and improved extension services. 

The focus is on growing the following Sugarcane, Palm Oil, Banana plantations, Horticultural Tree Plantations, Cassava, Maize, Rice, Soya Beans, Wheat and Sunflower. The expansion in production also will entail the establishment of processing plants in the province.

Tourism also takes its share in the province which is endowed with some of the unmatched natural wonders in the country.

It has a number of beautiful waterfalls, wetlands hosting some of the rare animal and bird species in the world like the black Lechwe and the shoebill stock.

The province has a rich culture with traditional ceremonies which are popular tourist attractions.

The hub of Luapula’s tourism is also combined with a number of traditional ceremonies such as the Mutomboko of the Lunda people in Kawambwa, Ubuilile of the Bwile People in Chienge, Malaila of Chishinga people in Kawambwa, Kwanga of the Ngumbo in Samfya, Musubilwa-Mpemba of the Unga people of Bangweulu Swamps, Mabila of the Shila people in Mununga and Chabuka of the Aushi people respectively.

In the area of aquaculture and investment caging investment in aquaculture will be throughout the province as the entire province has enough surface and underground water. 

It is noted that investing in this area will ease fishing pressure on lakes and rivers and allow for their re-growth.

In terms of fish cage culture in the province, this is a new technology being promoted and the potential is abundant as has been showcased by a few demonstrations that have been done in the province.

A number of sites in the Bangweulu and Mweru-Luapula fisheries have undergone environmental impact assessments (EIA) and are earmarked for investment. Furthermore, the ambient water temperatures prevailing tend to favour rapid maturity of the farmed fish.

Meanwhile, Zambia has an enormous demand for energy and its central location gives it access to wider markets for this commodity.

It is further noted that the potential to make Zambia an energy hub is massive, due to its massive potential.

But for this potential to be unlocked, the prerequisite is the development of electrical power both from hydro and other sources such as solar and other forms of clean energy.

There are more than 7 potential hydro-electric power generation sites in Luapula.

After all is said and done, the Expo is open for individuals and institutions that are looking for a unique opportunity and an exclusive platform for expansion of their business.

The think-tanks behind the Expo strongly feel that apart from providing an avenue for investors to gain greater access to information and alternative economic potential options available, the Expo will provide endless opportunities by giving platforms to Institutions to promote their respective brands and services.

Today it is Luapula Province, who is next?