Bruce Chooma
18 October 2007
Ndola — Zambia joined the world in observing the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) World Food Day on Monday October 15 while yesterday was the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.
These important days provide an opportunity to reflect on Zambia's progress in combating hunger and poverty. Notably poverty has reduced from 75 per cent to 68 per cent in recent times in Zambia and there still remains much to be done to trickle down economic benefits to everyone. According to the United Nations Development Programme human development Index, Zambia is ranked 165 out of 177 poorest countries. According to the Central Statistical Office in 2004, 67 per cent of Zambians where poor and 43 per cent were classified as extremely poor
As it has been rightly pointed out in recent times by independent economic analysts, for the first time since independence Zambia has scored significant impressive economic indicators and growth that will enable it attain middle income status by the year 2030. While much still needs to be done to translate the benefits of economic growth into meaningful and tangible benefits for the ordinary person by way of increased business opportunities for indigenous people and increased domestic income, it is evident that the nation is on course.
There is a link between poverty and food security and the fact that Zambia has attained a surplus in food production over recent times due to sound agricultural policies, the expansion of copper production and exports is equally having a positive impact on economic growth. Perhaps the focus now should be placed on the need to boost the country's productive sector to create more employment opportunities for Zambians.
Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister, Ben Kapita notes that Zambia recognises that the right to food is the inherent human right of every woman, man, girl and boy, wherever they live on this planet. Globally despite food being acknowledged as a basic human right, around 800 million people in the world still go hungry every day. World Food Day hence provides a reminder of the world's constant search for a long-term solution to the problem of hunger and poverty. Mr Kapita says Zambia due to its recognition of food as a basic human right has placed agriculture as a key sector in the all eviation of hunger and poverty.
"Zambia has put in place strategies to achieve food security, these are agricultural sector diversification, seed multiplication and diversification, encouraging the production of crops through irrigation. To that effect, Zambia has launched the National Irrigation Fund," Mr Kapita said in his message on World Food Day. He adds that the Government is also focusing on developing the livestock sector which accounts for about 35 per cent of the total agricultural production and environmentally friendly and sustainable agricultural practices and the sustainable harvest of fish.
He says the right to food is a birthright hence every Zambian has a role to play in fighting poverty and hunger, as hunger is the most critical manifestation of poverty. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948 first recognised the right to food as a human right. It was then incorporated in the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (Article 11) adopted in 1966 and ratified by 156 states, which are today legally bound by its provisions. Only when individuals do not have the capacity to meet their food needs by own means for reasons beyond their control, such as age, handicap, economic downturn, famine, disaster, or discrimination, will they be entitled to receive food directly from the state, according to General Comment 12 of the United Nations Convention.
Zambia is abundantly endowed with the required resources to stimulate agricultural and rural development considering that presently, of the country's 752,000 square kilometres of landmass, 58 per cent is suitable for arable use and of this, only about 14 per cent is currently under cultivation. Zambia possesses a conducive climate, and abundant arable land, labour and water resources hence agriculture in Zambia has great promise for enhancing economic growth and reducing poverty.
A well performing agricultural sector translates into significant improvements in the country's GDP, contributes to employment generation, and broadens the country's tax base. To the extent that the livelihood of the majority of Zambians depends on agriculture-related activities, the sector, when well developed, should contribute significantly to welfare improvement. In this regard the Fifth National Development Plan positions the agricultural sector as one of the driving engines for the anticipated economic growth that is required to reduce poverty.
The sector's multiplier effects on the economy are particularly noteworthy and the restoration of its growth should guarantee a significant reduction in poverty levels currently being faced by Zambia. Talking about poverty at the global level, the celebration of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty provides Zambia an opportunity to even reflect on progress at meeting the Milenium Development Goals conidering that 2007 is half way through to 2015.
The day was officially recognised by the United Nations in 1992, but the first commemoration of the event took place in Paris, France in 1987. 100,000 people gathered on the Human Rights and Liberties Plaza at the Trocadéro to honour victims of poverty, hunger, violence and fear.
The text engraved in the stone reads as follows:
"Wherever men and women are condemned to live in extreme poverty, human rights are violated. To come together to ensure that these rights be respected is our solemn duty" The Theme for this year's event is People Living in Poverty as Agents of Change: 20th Anniversary of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. According to the UNDP 2006 report the life expectancy of Zambians was 37.7 years and that out of 1, 000 children born 95 were dying and more efforts were needed so that rural poverty is not worse than urban poverty. Recently President Mwanawasa observed when he addressed Zambians living in Seattle and Western Canada that he has had to take hard measures in a bid to ensure that economic growth benefits Zambians.
"We have had to take very hard measures at the expense of political popularity and Zambians have paid a heavy price for it. We felt that it was for better to be unpopular now and get things done than die being unpopular," Dr Mwanawasa said. Among the notable poverty reduction efforts being implemented in Zambia are the Fertiliser Support Programme, the revised girl child education policy, rehabilitation of health centres and general infrastructure development. Commerce Trade and Industry Deputy Minister, Dora Siliya said last month at the dissemination seminar for the 2006-2007 Africa Economic Outlook that Zambia must sustain macro-economic stability and achieve six per cent GDP growth this year. She spelt the challenges as poor road infrastructure, dilapidated road systems and high interest rates. The UNDP recognises that while poverty remained pervasive in Zambia, there had been some improvement in the human condition and the level of poverty during the past decade.
Most noteworthy was the fact that the improvements had been greater in the rural areas than in the urban. "While the poverty situation in Lusaka worsened between 1990 and 1996, it improved fairly significantly in North-Western, Eastern, Northern, Western and Southern provinces over the same period, and moderately in the others, except Luapula Province, which remained practically the same." The Zambia National Human Development Report says.
The challenge for the future will be the extent to which the support of community based organisations, NGOs, the private sector, donors and civil society at large can be successfully mobilised to complement Government's efforts to fight poverty.
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