Stakeholders urged to prioritize grow Zambia in food, nutrition agenda

Permanent Secretary for Administration in the Office of the Vice President, Lillian Kapusana has called on stakeholders to work towards ensuring the Grow Zambia agenda is prioritized in the Food and Nutrition agenda. Mrs Kapusana, who is also Deputy Chairperson for the…

Permanent Secretary for Administration in the Office of the Vice President, Lillian Kapusana has called on stakeholders to work towards ensuring the Grow Zambia agenda is prioritized in the Food and Nutrition agenda.

Mrs Kapusana, who is also Deputy Chairperson for the Permanent Secretaries’ Committee on Food and Nutrition, says food systems pathways must be amplified to support the Grow Zambia agenda, in coordination with the Stunting Reduction Strategy (SRS), which targets reducing stunting from 32 percent to 15 percent and below by 2030.

She said this today when she met a delegation from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), led by Assistant Representative Geoffrey Chomba at her office to reflect on World Food Day 2026 and preparations for World Food Day 2027.

The Permanent secretary cited Zambia’s Food Systems Transformation framework which outlines five key pathways to guide implementation, including ensuring access to safe and nutritious foods for all.

“Government has a big and ambitious agenda of growing Zambia and is implementing the 2026 National Food and Nutrition Security Policy and Stunting Reduction Strategy (2026-2030), but success depends on coordinated action at community level,” she said.

The Permanent Secretary urged partners to propagate nutrition-sensitive productivity and to work with the National Food and Nutrition Commission (NFNC) and other agencies under the Office of the Vice President.

Mrs Kapusana further called for enhanced sensitization of communities on El Nino and climate shocks and how to prepare and prevent hunger, noting that heavy reliance on rain-fed agriculture makes the food system vulnerable.

And FAO Assistant Representative Geoffrey Chomba expressed gratitude for the support rendered by the Office of the Vice President to the organisation and sought Government leadership for the commemoration of World Food Day on 16th October under the global theme ‘Innovate Today. Nourish Tomorrow’.

He said FAO wants to garner all innovations that have been going on and can be adopted or adapted to propel and strengthen the transformation of the food system so that Zambia can have a food secure and nutrition safe society tomorrow.

Mr Chomba said the 2026 theme highlights the transformative role of data, research, technology and indigenous knowledge in driving agri-food systems transformation and that when combined they can propel innovation.

Mr Chomba said the commemoration should showcase indigenous knowledge and amplify technology and called for guidance from the Vice President’s Office to ensure a successful celebration.

This is contained in a statement issued to the media by the Media Liaison and Communications Officer in the Office of the Vice President, Nathan Banda.