U.S reaffirms commitment to ensuring Zambia remains food secure

IN light of President Hakainde Hichilema’s declaration of drought as a national disaster and emergency in Zambia, the United States 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 had led to devastating consequences that risk food insecurity.

In a statement, the U.S. government said it would continue to support ongoing agriculture-related programs in Zambia, including, initiatives such as capacity-building for smallholder farmers, enhancing agricultural productivity, and promoting sustainable land management to empower Zambians to combat food insecurity.

It said the Feed the Future Programme had increased soybean and groundnut yields by promoting conservation agriculture activities and the use of improved seed varieties, which expanded the variety of foods consumed by Zambians.

The U.S government said it was 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 programme (approximately $400 million) 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.”

“The compact will also help in the preparation of roads that link farms to markets, leverage private capital to expand agricultural production and agro-processing value chains, and support critical agricultural policy reforms to provide solutions to global food insecurity,” the statement said.

It stated that the U.S. government was also providing food assistance through humanitarian aid programmes and international organisations like the United Nations World Food Programme (UNWFP) and that the support aimed to alleviate food insecurity and to aid vulnerable populations in Zambia during times of crisis, including periods of drought.

The statement said other support areas included nutrition programs and investments in agricultural infrastructure and technology, including drought tolerant seeds.