Zambia and the Food and Agriculture Organissation food agency have renewed the 2023-25 Country Programming Framework in which the Southern African state receives assistance with a call by the United Agency warning against instigated pandemics and calamities that threaten food security.
Under the ongoing Country Programmes Zambia benefits financially and technically from the UN agency in, nnutrition, and food Systems Support and social protection, crop, Fisheries and Livestock Production and Productivity, post-harvest, Agro processing and value addition, Green, Climate-Resilient and Integrated Agriculture, among others.
Other areas are ssustainable Crop Intensification and Mechanization, Soil, Integrated Pest Management, Plant and Animal Health, Agricultural Policy and Institutional Support, Climate Change Mitigation, Adaptation and Resilience, Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity, Sustainable Management of Forests and Wildlife
and Food in Emergencies under a framework for national development.
FAO country representative, Suze Percy-Filippini, said in Lusaka during the validation workshop and launch of a new Country Programming Framework (2023-2027) that while support was being availed to developing countries, it was inevitable for Zambia to prepare for unforeseen calamities.
Global pandemics including COVID 19, climate change, among other calamities that buffet Zambia, like the rest of the world-dwarfing planned economic growth need to be supervised and prevented to avoid hunger and disruption of other services extended to needy countries.
The heightened collaborations with government, diligent efforts have been made in the selection of the country priorities in the CPF to ensure all the four FAO Betters; Better Production; Better Nutrition; a better environment and a better life are delivered within the stipulated time framework.
Ms. Filippini stated that it was FAO’s unwavering desire to redress ultimately redress the social, economic and environmental challenges that the country is facing on in the next five (5) years for the sustained country programme was to be attained and calls on players to ensure unforeseen challenges are taken care of.
“The discussions in this meeting should do not only focus on addressing the usual challenges but also consider unexpected adverse events such as global pandemics and conflicts that affect food systems” .
And United Nations Resident coordinator Ms. Beatrice Mutali reaffirmed the FAOs role and response to assist Zambia and ensure that the CPF is well derived from the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) 2023-2027 is attained, it being a key guiding document speaking to the 8th National Development Plan, and the FAO Global Strategic Framework.
