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February 24th 2007
LIVINGSTONE, ZAMBIA –U.S. Ambassador to Zambia Carmen Martinez has commended African Spices Ltd. for its contribution to rural development through exports of chili to regional and international markets. She made the remarks today during a familiarization tour of the Livingstone-based company.
African Spices produces chili on its commercial farm and exports to Elephant Pepper company in South Africa and McIlhenny company in the United States of America. McIlhenny are the makers of the world-famous Tabasco Sauce. The demand for chili has increased over the last two years, leading to the development of a commercial outgrower scheme with 220 Zambian farmers producing chilies for supplying to African Spices company.
Elephant Pepper Company has set up a development trust in Zambia, that supports and encourages rural farmers to protect their fields from marauding elephants by growing chilies as fences around their homes and fields, through a program called Problem Animal Control (PAC).
Ambassador Martinez visited the African Spices’ commercial farm and chili processing unit and a farm belonging to a smallholder chili grower. The company employs over 70 people and provides a high value market to over 200 smallholder chili farmers in the Livingstone area. Through its marketing of the Elephant Pepper Sauce brand and its strong supply links to McIlhenney Company, African Spices has made significant inroads on the global market.
Ambassador Martinez outlined the importance of agricultural export companies to Zambia’s economic development. Many small Zambian farmers are benefiting because they are accessing lucrative international markets.
“The growth of companies such as African Spices means more money in the pockets of a large number of rural Zambians, better food security and health for the rural population, stronger markets for the multitude of small shopkeepers and businesses in the area, and more tax paid to the Zambian Government for the development of essential services,” said Ambassador Martinez.
The African Spices is a good example of how the U.S.
Government supports the Zambian Government and its people by providing
funds through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to
local partner organizations. The USAID-supported Market Access, Trade
and Enabling Polices (MATEP) program is assisting African Spices to market
its range of chili products to the United States of America. Another USAID-supported
program, the Production, Finance and Technology (PROFIT), is helping African
Spices meet the rising demands for its products and expand its small-farmer
production base.
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