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Congratulations to His Excellency, President Hakainde Hichilema on his re-election.
๐๐๐๐๐๐: ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ 2026/2027 ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ The Cotton Board of Zambia wishes to notify ๐๐๐ Cotton Producers and prospective Cotton Producers that registration for the 2026/2027 Cotton Season opens on ๐๐จ๐ง๐๐๐ฒ, 3๐ซ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ 2026 and closes on ๐๐จ๐ง๐๐๐ฒ, 31๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ 2026. ๐๐๐๐: Applications received after 31๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ 2026 will ๐๐๐ be considered. Download your application form at ๐คฬฒ๐ฃฬฒ๐ปฬฒ.ฬฒ๐ฐฬฒ๐ณฬฒ๐จฬฒ.ฬฒ๐ปฬฒ๐ฎฬฒ/ฬฒ๐ฅฬฒ๐ฐฬฒ๐ธฬฒ๐ฏฬฒ๐ญฬฒ๐ฐฬฒ๐ขฬฒ๐ฅฬฒ๐ดฬฒ and submit it, together with proof of payment, to our Head Office: Cotton Board of Zambia, Crop Serve Stand, Showgrounds, P.O. Box 33734, Lusaka. ๐ ๐จ๐ซ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ซ๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ฌ: +260-776-282-128 / +260-977-751-832 - ๐ข๐ง๐๐จ@๐๐๐ณ.๐จ๐ซ๐ .๐ณ๐ฆ #CottonBoardOfZambia #CottonSeason2027 #Zambia #Agriculture #CottonFarming
๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ 15๐ต๐ฉ ๐๐ถ๐ญ๐บ 2025 (๐๐ถ๐ต๐ถ๐ฎ๐ฃ๐ช ๐๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ต๐ฆ๐ณ๐บ) 07:000๐ก๐ซ๐ฌ: Mourners gather at the funeral house in Chalala 08:00๐ก๐ซ๐ฌ: Mourners leave the funeral house to Mutumbi Cemetery 09:30๐ก๐ซ๐ฌ: Arrival of mourners and the body at Mutumbi Cemetery 10:00๐ก๐ซ๐ฌ: Opening Prayer & Sermon 10:30๐ก๐ซ๐ฌ: Life History 10:40๐ก๐ซ๐ฌ: Tributes (๐๐ช๐ง๐ฆ, ๐๐ฉ๐ช๐ญ๐ฅ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ฏ, ๐๐ช๐ฃ๐ญ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ๐ด, ๐๐ณ๐ช๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ฅ๐ดโ ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ฑ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ด๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ต๐ข๐ต๐ช๐ท๐ฆ) 11:00๐ก๐ซ๐ฌ: Body Viewing 11:30๐ก๐ซ๐ฌ: Laying down of the casket 12:00๐ก๐ซ๐ฌ: Laying of Wreaths 12:30๐ก๐ซ๐ฌ: Vote of thanks by family representative 12:35๐ก๐ซ๐ฌ: Closing Prayer 12:40๐ก๐ซ๐ฌ: Mourners depart Mutumbi Cemetery
๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๏ธ It is with deep sadness that the Cotton Board of Zambia announces the passing of Mr. Sunduzwayo Banda, our former Chief Executive Officer, who peacefully passed away on 13th July 2026 at the University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka. Mr. Banda served with dedication and integrity, and touched many lives throughout his career. His contribution to the cotton industry and to our institution will always be remembered. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends during this difficult time. ๐๐๐ฒ ๐๐ข๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ฅ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ญ ๐ข๐ง ๐๐ญ๐๐ซ๐ง๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐๐.
Join us for The Cotton Development Trust FIELD DAY on Thursday, 30th April 2026 at the CDT Research Centre in Magoyeโan opportunity to engage, learn, and connect within the cotton sector. Save the date and be part of the conversation shaping the future of cotton development! #CottonDevelopment #FieldDay2026 #Magoye #AgricultureZambia #CottonSector #FarmingInnovation #AgriGrowth #ZambiaFarming #CDT #SustainableAgriculture
https://youtu.be/u765Lpa04sw?si=2TI2p8NDnq5T2NhZ
๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ โ๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐โ The Lusaka Showgrounds were a hive of activity on 7th October 2025 as Zambia joined the rest of the world in celebrating World Cotton Day 2025 under the global theme โCotton, the Fabric of Our Lives.โ The colourful event brought together a wide range of stakeholders from across the cotton value chain โ including smallholder farmers, ginning companies, the Handloom and Textile Technologies Association of Zambia (HATTAZ), government representatives, the Brazilian Ambassador to Zambia, Solidaridad, the Cotton Association of Zambia (CAZ), University of Zambia (UNZA) students, the Cotton Development Trust (CDT), We Effect, and other development partners โ to reflect on the importance of cotton to livelihoods, trade, and sustainable development. The Guest of Honour, Minister of Agriculture Hon. Reuben Mtolo Phiri, was represented by Permanent Secretary Mr. John Mulongoti, who reaffirmed the governmentโs commitment to revitalising the cotton sector and ensuring that it continues to contribute meaningfully to rural development and national economic growth. He called for continued investment in processing, farmer support, and research to build a sustainable cotton ecosystem and stated how the government is addressing challenges in the sector through reforms like the Cotton Act. Emphasis was placed on expanding Zambia's competitiveness in regional and global markets, particularly within the African Continental Free Trade Area. His speech concluded by urging collaboration among all stakeholders to build a vibrant cotton industry that uplifts livelihoods and powers industries. โCotton remains a strategic crop for Zambia. It supports thousands of smallholder farmers and plays a vital role in creating jobs along the value chain. As government, we remain committed to working with the private sector and partners to enhance productivity, value addition, and market access,โ Mr. Mulongoti said. In his remarks, a representative from the Cotton Board of Zambia (CBZ) noted that the theme โCotton, the Fabric of Our Livesโ aptly captures the significance of the crop โ connecting farmers, industries, and consumers, while contributing to economic growth and sustainable livelihoods. Throughout the day, participants engaged in exhibitions, panel discussions, and live demonstrations highlighting innovations in cotton production, pest management, and textile processing. Farmers and ginners showcased the stages in the cotton value chain, sustainable farming practices, and new technologies aimed at boosting productivity and income, as well as textile products made from handloom technologies. Development partners such as Solidaridad and We Effect shared insights on promoting sustainability and inclusivity in the cotton sector, particularly through climate-smart agriculture, gender empowerment, and traceability systems that align with international market standards. Speakers also underscored the importance of employing new technologies to boost cotton productivity, increase farmer incomes, and maximize the economic benefits of cotton for Zambia. Farmers also shared their experiences on challenges and opportunities in production, pest management, and market access, emphasizing the need for continued collaboration across the value chain. World Cotton Day, first declared by the United Nations in 2019, celebrates the global significance of cotton as a natural fibre that sustains millions of people worldwide. For Zambia, this yearโs commemoration reaffirmed the countryโs commitment to enhancing the competitiveness, sustainability, and inclusivity of its cotton industry โ truly making cotton the fabric of our lives. #worldcottonday2025 #cottonboardofzambia #CDT #MinistryOfAgriculture #solidaridadzambia #cottonassociationofzambia #Hattaz #TrustAfrica https://youtu.be/u765Lpa04sw?si=2TI2p8NDnq5T2NhZ
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ The Cotton Board of Zambia will commence the implementation of the Harmonised Extension Service Approach in the 2025/26 season. As part of this implementation, it is now a precondition for all registered ginners to purchase copies of the ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ based on the number of extension officers in your organization. ๐๐๐๐: ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ซ ๐ก๐๐ง๐๐๐จ๐จ๐ค Your cooperation will ensure smooth adoption as we move forward with standardized extension services. For more information and to place your orders, please contact us on +260 776 282 128 or email us at info@cbz.org.zm.
๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ฃ: ๐ญ๐๐ ๐๐๐โ๐ฆ ๐๐ข๐ง๐ง๐ข๐ก ๐ฆ๐๐๐ง๐ข๐ฅ ๐ฆ๐ง๐๐ฃ๐ฆ ๐๐ก๐ง๐ข ๐ ๐ก๐๐ช ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ข๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ก๐ง ๐ช๐ข๐ฅ๐ ๐ฟ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ฉ ๐๐ค๐ง๐ ๐๐ช๐๐๐๐ก๐๐ฃ๐๐จ ๐๐๐ช๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฉ๐ค ๐๐ง๐๐ฃ๐จ๐๐ค๐ง๐ข ๐๐๐ซ๐๐จ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐๐ก๐๐๐ค๐ค๐๐จ May 30th, 2025 marked a turning point for cotton workers and farmers across Zambia with the official launch of the Decent Work Guidelines for the Cotton Sub-sector. Developed through collaboration between the Ministry of Labour and Social Security Zambia , Ministry of Agriculture, Zambia, Cotton Board of Zambia, TrustAfrica, Solidaridad Southern Africa, the International Labour Organization ILO Cairo ู ูุธู ุฉ ุงูุนู ู ุงูุฏูููุฉ ุจุงููุงูุฑุฉ , ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ข๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ข๐จ๐ง, and other stakeholders, these guidelines are a blueprint for dignity, fairness, and sustainability in the cotton value chain. ๐๐๐ผ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ผ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐พ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ The Guidelines focus on six key pillars: ๐ญ. ๐ ๐๐ข๐ซ ๐๐๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ง๐๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง โ Living wages & fair farmgate prices. ๐ฎ. ๐ ๐ซ๐๐๐๐จ๐ฆ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐จ๐๐ข๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง & ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ ๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐๐ข๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ โ Strong unions & farmer groups. ๐ฏ. ๐๐๐๐ & ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ญ๐ก๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ซ๐ค๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ฌ โ Gender equality, occupational safety & zero tolerance for child/forced labour. ๐ฐ. ๐๐จ๐๐ข๐๐ฅ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐ญ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง โ Better contracts & protections for seasonal workers. ๐ฑ. ๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐ฌ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐๐ง๐๐ฒ & ๐๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ญ๐๐๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ โ Clear grievance mechanisms & compliance checks. ๐ฒ. ๐๐๐ฉ๐๐๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ข๐ฅ๐๐ข๐ง๐ & ๐๐ซ๐จ๐๐ฎ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ โ Training, extension services & value addition. ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ Implementation will require strong government enforcement, active union and farmer engagement, buyer and ginner commitments, and donor support for early interventions. โข Strong government enforcement โข Active union and farmer organization engagement โข Buyer and ginner commitments to uphold standards โข Donor support for implementation and monitoring These guidelines offer our cotton sector a roadmap to transformation - ๐๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ซ๐ค๐๐ซ๐ฌ, ๐ซ๐๐ฌ๐ข๐ฅ๐ข๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐๐๐ซ๐ฆ๐๐ซ๐ฌ, and ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ฉ๐๐ญ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐ฏ๐๐ง๐๐ฌ๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ข๐ง๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฒ. From farm to ginnery, every person in Zambia's cotton value chain deserves fair treatment, safe working conditions, and a fair share of the value they create. ๐โ๐๐ก ๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข๐ ๐กโ๐๐ข๐โ๐ก๐ ๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ค ๐๐ข๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ? ๐ป๐๐ค ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข ๐กโ๐๐๐ ๐กโ๐๐ฆ'๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ก ๐๐๐ก๐ก๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ข๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐? ๐โ๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ข๐ ๐ฃ๐๐๐ค๐ ๐๐ ๐กโ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ก๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ค! #DecentWork #ZambiaCotton #FairValue #SustainableAgriculture #ReclaimSustainability #ZambiaAgriculture #FairTrade #workersrights
ATTENTION TO ALL COTTON PRODUCERS AND WOULD-BE COTTON PRODUCERS!! The Cotton Board of Zambia is now accepting applications for registration for the 2025/2026 cotton season. The application window is open from August 11th, 2025 to August 22nd, 2024. Download the application form from the Cotton Board of Zambia website: https://cbz.org.zm/downloads You are all required to submit your completed application form to the Cotton Board of Zambia Head Office in the showgrounds before the deadline. For more information, contact the Cotton Board of Zambia by phone: +260-776-282-128 or +260-977-751-832 or by email: info@cbz.org.zm
We were proud to be part of this yearโs Agriculture & Commercial Show under the theme: โAdapting to Climate Changeโ. We collaborated with HATTAZ and CDT where we highlighted the resilience and innovation driving the cotton value chain. From Cotton Seed to Lint, and from Fibre to Fabric, our joint exhibition demonstrated climate-smart farming practices, local textile production, and the power of partnerships in building a sustainable cotton industry. A big thank you to all who visited our stand, engaged with our team, and showed interest in the future of cotton in Zambia. Together, we can build a climate-resilient agricultural sector and contribute to the nationโs economic development. #CottonBoardZambia #ACShow2025 #AdaptingToClimateChange #SustainableCotton #CottonValueChain #HATTAZ #CDT #ClimateSmartAgriculture #ZambiaAgriculture
GOVT COMMITTED TO PROMOTE FAIRNESS IN COTTON PRICING. The government has pledged to support initiatives promoting fair pricing, access to quality seeds, and market linkages in the cotton sector, according to Eastern Province Minister Peter Phiri. Mr. Phiri stated that the government aims to create a value chain where all stakeholders can prosper. He said the government is making strides to ensure the most vulnerable players in the cotton industry are protected. He made this announcement during the World Cotton Day celebrations at Chief Kathumba's Farm in Sinda district, Eastern Province. The event was held under the theme 'Cotton for Good: Empowering Communities through Sustainable Cotton Farming.' However, traditional leaders expressed concerns about low prices hindering cotton farming. Chieftainess Kawaza attributed low production to poor prices, emphasizing the need to strengthen laws protecting farmers from exploitation. And EASCO Board Chairperson Driana Lwanda stressed regional integration and policy collaboration as key to boosting cotton production, Meanwhile Cotton Board of Zambia CEO Sunduzwayo Banda highlighted the urgency of addressing industry challenges, including unfair pricing.