Zambian university rolls out mealie-meal production at China-funded milling plant

LUSAKA, April 1 (Xinhua) -- Zambia's biggest public university has launched the production of mealie-meal at a milling plant financed by the Chinese government.

The University of Zambia (UNZA) said it has opened a sales outlet at its campus in Lusaka, the country's capital, to start selling mealie-meal, according to a statement released Thursday.

Luke Mumba, the university's vice-chancellor, said the university was given one of the three milling plants funded by the Chinese government and was grateful for the decision.

He said the milling plant will also be developing and offering programs in milling science, a program offered only by South Africa and Kenya, as well as processing of maize into maize products for income generation.

He further said the milling plant systems, whose construction works were finalized last year, have been tested and gauged for effectiveness and efficiency.

The milling plant has a capacity to produce 40 tons of mealie meal per day. The plant is also engaged in the production of maize bran.

In 2017, the Zambian government decided to give the plant to the university funded by China under the Presidential Milling Initiative. Two other plants are situated in Mpika in the northern part of the country and Monze in the southern part of the country.

The three plants are a result of an agreement by leaders of the two countries when former President Edgar Lungu visited China in 2015.

The three plants are in addition to over 1,000 solar-powered milling plants that have been installed in various parts of the southern African nation since 2015.