U.S. Govt commits to enhance food security in Zambia

IN light of President Hakainde Hichilema’s declaration of drought as a national disaster and emergency, the United States government has pledged its continued support to Zambia’s response to the effects of climate change and the impending threat of food insecurity.

The United States recognises that El Niño weather conditions and associated reduced rainfall in major agricultural production areas of Zambia have led to devastating consequences that risk food insecurity.

Senior U.S. officials from the United States Agency for International Development’s Bureau for Resilience, Environment, and Food Security will arrive in Zambia this month to meet with government and civil society partners to discuss the ways in which the United States can continue to support Zambia during this time of crisis.

The U.S. government supports ongoing agriculture-related programs in Zambia, initiatives such as capacity-building for smallholder farmers, enhancing agricultural productivity, and promoting sustainable land management empower Zambians to combat food insecurity.

The U.S. government’s Feed the Future programme increases soybean and groundnut yields by promoting conservation agriculture activities and the use of improved seed varieties, which expands the variety of foods consumed by Zambians.

Additionally, the U.S. government is attracting private investment in the agriculture sector and offering targeted trade facilitation support to small and medium-sized businesses engaged in climate-smart production.

The Millennium Challenge Corporation is working with the Zambian government to develop a compact program approximately US$400 millio that will help realise a shared vision whereby both commercial and small-holder farmers produce a bounty of crops and create Zambian jobs through growth in agro-processing.