• MoU was signed on 2nd October, 2019 between Zambia and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
• The MoU is key to promoting private sector participation in commodity marketing and input supply.
• It is very critical to always bring to public knowledge important development agendas.

Centre for Trade Policy and Development (CTPD) has called on government to give a clear implementation status of the Maize and Mealie meal Export to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Organization Researcher for Trade and Development Emmanuel Muma told Money FM News that in October 2019, Zambia and DRC signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) under which the country committed to export 200,000 Metric tons of Maize and 400,000 Metric tons of Mealie meal to Congo annually starting in 20220.
Mr. Muma said the country selected stakeholders who include Zambia Commodity Exchange, Zambia National Farmers Union, Grain Traders Association of Zambia and Millers Association of Zambia as channels through which to export the commodities into Congo, while Ministry of Agriculture will serve as a focal point for ensuring coordination and monitoring of the MoU’s implementation.
“CTPD is also concerned to know if the export market opportunity under this MoU is in the public knowledge and whether local small-scale farmers (SSF) have been sensitized countrywide and the extent to which they have been taken on board to participate in the export market under MoU. CTPD has also observed and confirmed through research that one of the biggest challenge faced by small scale farmers in Zambia apart from access to finance, is access to organised market and information. It is thus very critical to always bring to public knowledge important development agendas such as this,” Mr. Muma said.
He noted that it is over one and half years since the agreement was signed but it is not clear if the Zambian government has revealed a comprehensive export schedule indicating updates of the total quantities that have been exported to Congo against the annual targets of about 600, 000 metric tonnes.
“CTPD considers the MoU as one strategic and potential tool for providing alternative export market for small scale farmers for this year’s marketing season (2022/2023) and beyond. The MoU is also key to promoting private sector participation in commodity marketing and input supply, but initiatives like this can only be achieved by promoting transparency in the implementation process.”
“It is our position that the Ministry of Agriculture shares the MoU road map if it has already developed one, this will help various interested stakeholders to know how best they can participate in the process. There is need to firm up the monitoring and evaluation system for the implementation of the MOU moving forward. We are of the view that failure to deliver would result in losing the potential export market with DRC switching camps to competitive potential neighbouring market in the Southern African Region such as South Africa, Botswana, and Namibia,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Mr. Muma advised Food Reserve Agency (FRA) to stick to its mandated procurement of strategic reserves as provided in the Act on the purchasing of 500,000 Metric tonnes for reserves.
“In the same spirit, CTPD would like to further urge the Government through FRA to stick to its mandated procurement of strategic reserves as provided in the act on the purchasing of 500,000 MT for reserves. This will allow private sector and other business players to participate effectively in commodity marketing and input supply.”
Efforts to get a comment from Agriculture Permanent Secretary Songowayo Zyambo failed as his mobile phone went unanswered.
On 2nd October 2019, Zambia signed an agreement with the Democratic Republic of Congo to Export about 600,000 metric tonnes of Maize and Mealie meal to the DRC starting in 2020.