Please note: you are viewing an old version of this deal. The current version can be found here: Deal #4459

Deal #4459 Version #67776

Zambia
Created at
2014-09-02
Last update
2020-01-20
Last full update
2024-11-11

Land area

Intended size
30 000 ha
Size under contract (leased or purchased area)
  • [2015, current] 20000.0 ha
Comment on land area
Company website states 20 000ha. Other sources state 25 000 ha concluded size and 30 000ha intended size. The cassava seedlings plantation by Sunbird will over the years cover 10,000 hectares.

Intention of investment

Intention of investment
  • [current] Biomass for biofuels, Food crops, Renewable energy unspecified
Comment on intention of investment
Ethanol and power plant

Nature of the deal

Nature of the deal
Lease

Negotiation status

Negotiation status
  • [2014] Intended (Expression of interest)
  • [2015, current] Concluded (Contract signed)

Implementation status

Implementation status
  • [2015] Startup phase (no production)
  • [2017] Startup phase (no production)
  • [2020, current] Startup phase (no production)
Comment on implementation status
MOU with China New Energy for building the plant. Nursery being established. The company will start building the bio-refinery plant this year (2020), which is expected to reduce the country’s fuel imports by 10 percent.

Contract farming

Contract farming
Yes
Not on leased / purchased (out-grower)
Yes
Not on leased area/farmers/households (out-grower)
  • [current] 20000
Comment on contract farming
about 20,000 smallholder cassava farmers are expected to supply feedstock to the facility. 2000 initial farmers selected. Vana, an Indian company, is contracted to design and implement the cassava out-grower programme. Mr Benette says 5,000 small-scale farmers will be recruited on the project this year (2020) and the remaining 15,000 will be put on the programme by 2021.