…for first quinoa crop in Zambia cheers Amb. Mukwita
Berlin 1st May 2020
Zambia´s Ambassador to Germany H.E Anthony Mukwita has commended Amatheon, the agri business company that has started growing Quinoa, a highly nutritious food that has a semblance with rice.
Ambassador Mukwita said he learnt with great pleasure that the decision by Amatheon to grow the crop would also create jobs to some 1000 out growers that live around the agri business premises founded by German millionaire Carl Henrich Bruhn.
“Mr Bruhn has informed us that the company is preparing for the first harvest of the crop that is very nutritious and could help bridge the nutrition gaps in Zambia that have in the past contributed to stunting,” said Ambassador Mukwita.
Quinoa is a gluten-free, whole-grain carbohydrate, as well as a whole protein food, meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids and it’s much cheaper and affordable than other carb foods according to experts.
Amatheon high lights in Zambia
Amatheon agri business employs some 650 Zambians full time that actually pay taxes while it provides support system and lifeline for more than 3000 out growers to its farms in Mumbwa and Lusaka.
Ambassador Mukwita said CEO and founder Mr Bruhn needs to be lauded for filling in a nutrition gap in the country through the new crop quinoa pronounced ´Kweenah´ and for continuing to create direct jobs.
Amatheon also provides schools and medicare in the areas it operates from as part of social responsibility to the immediate community while Mr Bruhn is one of the major cooperating partners of the embassy of Zambia in Berlin according to Ambassador Mukwita.
All farmers participating in the quinoa growing have undergone training provided by Amatheon staff and external consultants in order to cultivate, handle and harvest the highest food quality standards possible said Bruhn.
Ambassador Mukwita observed that Amatheon Agri Zambia continues to support crop diversification in the country while offering an expanded product portfolio to the company’s clients.
Quinoa is particularly well-suited for growing under arid climate conditions and given Zambia’s number and length of growth days, temperatures and rainfall patterns, Amatheon introduced it as a new crop – first commercially and within its Out-grower Programme.
Mr Bruhn said what his company has done is to bring to smallholder farmers, high value products that have a global market and a guaranteed offtake.
Ambassador Mukwita said Amatheon´s presence in Zambia speaks volumes about industry in Germany that Zambia is a safe business destination and haven for more Foreign Direct Investment or FDI.
“If a company in Germany wants to know whether it is safe to invest in Zambia,” Ambassador Mukwita said, “we simply direct them to Carl and show them how his investment is blossoming safely in Zambia…Amatheon is a poster child of success for an individual single investor from Germany for us.”
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Caption: Amatheon CEO Carl Bruhn and Amb Anthony Mukwita at the Amatheon offices in Berlin.