Mafinga District was created by the late fourth Republican President of Zambia Mr Rupiah Banda on 27th March 2011, it is a rural district in Muchinga Province of Zambia located approximately about 1,134km from Lusaka the Capital City of Zambia and borders Isoka District in the western part and Chama District in the Western part as well as an international border in Malawi covering the distance of 4.134km spanning 154km from East to West.

The District is relatively warm and experiences a tropical savannah climate characterised by three seasons which are a hot-wet season from November to April, a cool-dry season from May to July and a hot season from August to October and the average rainfall is about 974 mm per year while average minimum temperature is about 35.1 degrees centigrade during the hot season and the average minimum temperature during the cold season is about 6.5 degree, the District also frequently experience night frosts in the month of June.

Mafinga has predominately three languages or tribes, and three Chiefdoms namely; the Mwenechifungwe of the Fungwes, the Muyombe Chiefdom of the Tumbukas and the Mwenewisi Chiefdom of the Lambas

Despite being a rural District, Mafinga’s 80% population of households engage in substance farming making agriculture one of their main economic activity. The most widely grown crops are Maize sweet potatoes, millet and beans making the district fondly called the maize basket of Muchinga Province.

The district has a high potential in agricultural raw material supply base for value addition or agro-processing to the crops that are mainly grown. Mafinga has huge areas of fertile land that have not yet been tapped making it conducive for Commercial farming and ranching which could boost the economy of the District.

The District is also famously known for being the source of the Luangwa River and also the home of the famous breath-taking Mukutu Hills in the District which would significantly grow the district's economic activities.

The abundant natural resources such as water bodies, wildlife and minerals coupled with the favourable business environment created by the pragmatic economic recovery policies of the Zambian Government make Mafinga an attractive destination for investment.

Potentially Mafinga has land suitable for irrigation despite Mafinga having sufficient rainfall during the rainy season the District only has one rainy season making irrigation another aspect of investment because this will ensure that agricultural practices in the district are performed throughout the year.

Livestock keeping in the District is mainly practised in the lowland zone which has plenty of grass for animal feed and enough water streams which run throughout the year. With all these resources production of beef in the District is still underdeveloped and there is potential for expansion.

The District has about two resettlement schemes suitable for livestock to partner with farmers to venture into large-scale livestock production. A livestock service centre can help farmers improve the Local breed and help keep the animals healthy.

 

The district has a lot of investment potential in the fish farming sector. There is an ongoing construction of fish ponds throughout the district and currently, the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock is soliciting for the establishment of an Aquaculture park service centre in the district. The Aquaculture service centre should have breeding, nursery and conditioning ponds.

 

There are investment opportunities for the private sector to undertake the following fish farming business ventures; cage fish farming, fish ponds, cold chain, fish feed production and fingerling production.

 

The district also has several raw materials and products from agriculture, fisheries, forestry and livestock; this provides investors to take advantage of various raw materials to establish manufacturing and agro-processing industries. The manufacturing industry and agro-processing industries in Mafinga have a ready market locally and with neighbouring countries.

 

The District is endowed with abundant mango trees, which inhabitants of Mafinga have had for a long time depended on as a means of sustenance. However, a lot of mangoes go to waste due to a lack of preserving and processing industries which has resulted in a demand for finished products such as mango jam, juice, dry fruits, mangoes pickle, mango wine, fruit jellies and canned fruits.

 

There has been an increase in infrastructure building development in the district, therefore, a block/brick moulding plant is a great investment opportunity that lies in the district. This sector is attractive in that some basic aggregate and sand are readily available in the district

 

The district is rumoured to have limestone necessary for the production of cement. However, since this has not been fully exploited, there is a need to conduct studies to assess the availability of these stones suitable also in the manufacturing of high-quality floor and wall tiles. The industry in this sector would prove to be viable as the raw materials can be accessed locally, and this industry has a market for both local consumption and for export.

  

The district is endowed with forests that are able to provide a source of raw materials making the timber processing plant and furniture-making industries a viable investment option. The forests in the district are an important resource for the establishment of timber processing plants and the demand for timber within the country and the outside world is high. The establishment of such industries will not only contribute to the GDP of the country but also will aid in the alleviation of youth unemployment in the district.

 

Reed-making enterprise is another investment venture of the Mafinga district, Crafts making has received very little support both in terms of production and marketing. Reed making, a traditional activity for both men and women in the district has very high potential due to the availability of abundant papyrus along the Luangwa River valley and ready market locally and with neighbouring countries

 

The use of multi-purpose cooperative societies as a model contributes to increased production and productivity, job creation and processing of the produce. The Focus in Mafinga will be to diversify the cooperative model into sectors such as value addition in mining, tourism, housing, beekeeping and forestry conservation. Further to promote and enhance capacity and corporate governance, access to financing will be of importance. Investment opportunities lie in the establishment of financing institutions in this area such as the promotion of out-grower schemes

 

Mafinga district suffers a skilled-worker gap in manufacturing. There exists an investment opportunity in the establishment of skills training schools/institutions in the district. The district offers opportunities for investment in the development of technical skills in the following; Manufacturing, Innovative technologies, Vocational training, Mentorship and apprenticeship, crafts and talent development.

 

There is very limited support being given to small-scale businesses in the district presently. Investment opportunities lie in the provision of credit facilities for farm implements, seed, timber sawyers and other businesses like those involved in carpentry. New enterprises especially in processing farming produce, timber and fruits are available, as well as the provision of storage facilities for crops which will help reduce high loss due to pests.

 

Mafinga District is endowed with mineral resources. It has a high potential for mineral deposits which have not been tapped yet. Mining these vital resources will contribute to economic development and employment creation. It is also important to mention that small-scale mining activities are currently going on and there lies potential in expanding into large-scale mining. There also exists an investment opportunity of opening up a quarry plant, where construction aggregates can be excavated.

 

Tourism is also another important service sector in the District and it is famous for its rich natural heritage, cultural heritage and tourist attractions, Mafinga has a diverse cultural heritage ranging from food and beverages to different traditional ceremonies and these include; Vinkakanimba for the Tumbukas people, Chambo Chalutanga for the Fungwes and Chikungu for the Lambia people. Tourist attractions in the District include the Malungule hot spring near Chief Mwenewisi palace, the Mafinga hills, the source of the Luangwa River, the gwaza management area, the ‘ lion foot “Rock in mululu ward and the Luangwa Valley famous for the various species of birds.

 

The sector has immense opportunities for the development of tourism-related infrastructure as it is not fully exploited. The main focus is expanding the tourism sector beyond the traditional tourism sites., products and promotions of integrated destinations that will make the district more competitive in the province. Mafinga having a game management area can venture into seasonal hunting in liaison with the Department of National Parks and Wildlife.

 

Mafinga lacks recreation facilities despite having a youthful population, for Mafinga town council it will bring financial, social and regeneration benefits. This will bring investment to the area and provide the district with sporting facilities and will encourage people to participate in sports and health-associated benefits. This development will also provide employment opportunities for the local populace. This project can be implemented through a private partnership programme where the council can provide the land and the investor provides the much-needed finances or through the respective government department /ministry funding.

 

This investment profile has shown that Mafinga is an investment destination which has viable returns to the investors because it is a new district which has not been explored to its full potential and whose major strength lies in the availability of virgin land and the Town Council remains a committed partner to facilitate development and service delivery to the business community and the people at the local level.