Govt. launches of Transformative Sustainable Food Systems programme

Government has called for stronger coordination among sectors and institutions in addressing Zambia’s food security and nutrition challenges. Permanent Secretary for Administration in the Office of the Vice President, Lillian Kapusana, says the challenges affecting food systems…

Government has called for stronger coordination among sectors and institutions in addressing Zambia’s food security and nutrition challenges.

Permanent Secretary for Administration in the Office of the Vice President, Lillian Kapusana, says the challenges affecting food systems are interconnected and require a coordinated, systems-based approach rather than isolated interventions by individual institutions.

Ms Kapusana was speaking today at the official launch of the US$500,000 two year Technical Cooperation Programme, on Catalysing Transformative and Sustainable Food Systems in Zambia, supported by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations.

She said the programme provides an opportunity to bring institutions together around a common food systems agenda and shared results, saying the initiative would also support the review of nutrition coordination guidelines and Zambia’s food systems pathways developed in 2021.

Ms Kapusana said the two year programme will support government and FAO in catalysing practical and institutional changes aimed at improving nutrition outcomes and strengthening the resilience of Zambia’s food systems.

She further said the project will focus on strengthening food systems coordination and governance, as well as promoting sustainable production, markets and consumption, surveillance and compliance mechanisms.

Ms Kapusana said the project will be implemented in Solwezi and Zambezi districts of North-Western Province, targeting vulnerable farming households and building the capacity of agriculture and nutrition extension workers.

She said combining targeted local implementation with national systems strengthening would allow lessons from the pilot activities to inform policy, guide future investments and support scaling up of successful interventions.

Ms Kapusana observed that Zambia has made progress in agricultural production and nutrition, with stunting levels declining from 35 percent in 2019 to 32 percent in 2024, but the progress remains insufficient to achieve Sustainable Development Goal number Two, of ending hunger by 2030.

She however, said Zambia continues to experience production and consumption patterns heavily centred on maize, while diversification into nutrient-dense crops, livestock, fisheries and other nutritious foods remains low.

“The situation contributes to low dietary diversity, while smallholder farmers continue to face climate variability, post-harvest losses, market access constraints and limited integration of crop and livestock systems,” added Ms Kapusana.

Ms Kapusana has since assured stakeholders that the Office of the Vice President would support government ownership, inter-sectoral coordination and strategic partnerships throughout the project cycle.

Meanwhile, FAO Representative in Zambia, Suze Filippini, said the project will support the government in strengthening coordination across sectors while promoting nutrition-sensitive and climate-smart agriculture, improving food safety systems and market linkages, operationalising the animal identification and traceability system.

Ms Filippini explained that the project is intended to catalyse lasting transformation by strengthening national institutions, partnerships, approaches and investments beyond the lifespan of the programme.

She said food systems affect production, household food choices, nutrition and health, environmental sustainability, employment, markets and the resilience of communities to climate and economic shocks.

Ms Filippini pointed out that Zambia continues to face interconnected challenges, including limited production diversity, market barriers, post-harvest losses, climate vulnerability, food safety risks and persistent malnutrition which need coordinated action.

She further said improved food safety and traceability systems will help protect consumers, strengthen livestock disease surveillance and create opportunities for producers to access domestic, regional and international markets.

Ms Filippini said the success of the project will ultimately be measured by improvements in the livelihoods of Zambians, stating that the project will support efforts to make rural communities more resilient to climate-related and economic shocks.