ESTHER MSETEKA & KELLY NJOMBO, Chilanga
ZAMBIA Bureau of Standards (ZABS) is seeking Government and donor support to construct about nine mobile testing laboratories across the country at a cost of about £900,000.
The mobile testing facilities will enable ZABS test products at source and speed-up feedback process to the consumer and the manufactures of the products being tested.
ZABS laboratory manager Nicodemus Malisa said the testing equipment will help address issues of contamination of products as they will be tested.
“The advantage of having mobile testing facilities is that the producers are given feedback quickly, they can improve on the operations and also ease transportation as the long distances covered compromise the quality of samples such as opaque beer,” he said.
Mr Malisa said the organisation has so far acquired one mobile testing laboratory with support from United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) at a cost of £100,000.
He said the mobile testing equipment to service Eastern Province, is expected in the country in two months’ time.
“We are in the first stage and we have made specifications and the procuring of the first mobile testing facility is expected in the country in one or two months’ time.
It is going to be located in the Eastern Province because the donor [UNDP] has a programme that supports agro-business in that area,” he said in an interview on Friday on the side-lines of the ZABS-media workshop, which was held under the theme “bridging the information gap”.