The Lobito Corridor is proving to be a gateway for agricultural as well as mineral exports, according to Nyembe Chapeshamano, the founder and director of consultants Strategic Connexion.“The Lobito Corridor is set to revolutionise the fresh produce market, creating unprecedented opportunities for businesses and investors across Africa, Europe, and America. “Focused on establishing a seamless cross-border trade network, this initiative is not only reshaping transportation infrastructure but is also laying the foundation for manufacturing and canning facilities in Zambia's northwestern province,” he writes in his blog.“The region, endowed with fertile land and abundant natural resources, will become a hub for processing and packaging fresh produce, adding value to the supply chain and meeting the stringent quality standards of international markets,” he adds.He is supported by Horman Chitonge of the Centre for African Studies, University of Cape Town Policy Research in International Services and Manufacturing.The Zambian government has recognised the importance of the agro-processing sector, which is one of the eight priority clusters identified in its national industrial policy.“Zambia’s agro-processing industries enjoy comparative advantage in cereals, milling products, soy products, animal feed, tobacco, non-alcoholic beverages, sugar and confectionery,” he writes.The industry is also supported by strong local demand, according to Statista.The fresh fruit market is worth around $405.70 million in 2024 and is expected to grow annually by 10.12% (CAGR 2024-2029).Volume is expected to amount to 230.30m kilograms by 2029.The groundwork for private-sector investment in the agricultural and agro-processing sectors was laid through a World Bank-sponsored project. “The establishment of a market-based economy, with a liberalised agricultural sector, has largely been achieved,” the bank states in its closing-out report.However, a number of other objectives were not met, and the project had only spent 64% of its budget when it came to an end in November 1999.With the opening of new markets through the Lobito Corridor, Zambia may attract renewed interest from the agricultural sector.It has arable land, an abundance of groundwater resources, nutrient-rich soil, and low population density, according to the World Bank.There is also a strong base on which to build, according to Chitonge.
