The government of Zambia, in partnership with China, will install over 4,000 solar-powered hammer mills across the country in a bid to curb rising costs in the maize grinding process. This is the first time the country will use solar power technology for this process. The solar-powered hammer mills will be supplied by China Non-Ferrous Corp., a Zambia-based Chinese mining company.
According to the country’s Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Grayford Monde, the government had to seek assistance from China because of the escalating meal prices in the country. In Zambia millers are privately owned and determine their own prices. The technology will allow for hammer mills to operate, even in remote areas which are not connected to the national grid.