President Edgar Lungu says investments in the Sunbird Bioenergy Africa cassava project in Kawambwa District will empower rural communities with sustainable jobs.

President Lungu said above 600 direct jobs will be created for Zambians as the firm will require more than 200,000 local farmers in order to produce the cassava.
“The $190 Million investment in the production of bio ethanol by Sunbird will require 700, 000 metric tons of cassava in order to produce 120 million liters of fuel grade bio ethanol for the government blending Programme and a further 36 megawatt of electricity,” he said.

The Head of State added that this will change the economic lives of the people and bring industrialization to rural areas.
Sunbird is one of the flagship agricultural projects aimed at lifting thousands of rural households out of poverty.
President Lungu was speaking when he visited the project in Luapula where he is having a two day working visit.