The Zambia Bureau of Standards (ZABS) has pledged to be on hand to provide testing services for various packaging materials against applicable standards as well as provide mentorship and training to enable the MSME’s acquire the knowledge they need to implement good manufacturing practices and good agriculture practices.

This follows resolution that came from a discussion during the just ended World Export Development Forum (WEDF) in Lusaka about setting up of the green house packaging centers funded by International Trade Center and Food and Agriculture Organization.

Those is expected to which will see Zambia and four (4) other countries as beneficiaries in helping Medium Small and Medium Enterprises in packaging their produce better.

ZABS says it has a packaging materials laboratory where it is able to test an array of packaging materials such as grain bags, tarpaulins, plastic bags, water bottle containers among others.

ZABS Marketing and Public Relations Officer Nzali Chella says this development will cause her organisation to increase its capacity through upgrading the testing equipment and be able to test a broader range of parameters.

Ms. Chella adds that the company’s materials laboratory is earmarked for accreditation meaning that manufacturers and producers can be assured that their packaging materials will be tested by an accredited lab and accepted regionally and internationally.