Government through the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services, has introduced an emergency price shock, Cash Transfer intervention, to cushion the high cost of living among the vulnerable in the country.
Minister of Community Development and Social Services, Ms Doreen Mwamba has disclosed that the programme,which will run alongside the traditional Social Cash Transfer programme for six months, will benefit 254,581 households in all the 10 provinces.
She observed that the period starting from November 2023 to April 2024, is a lean period in which food prices are further increased by seasonality, but can however effectively equip households to cope with sudden increases in the cost of essential goods and services to enhance their overall resilience and reduce their vulnerability.
The Minister therefore encouraged beneficiaries who will receive the K1,200 to use the money prudently.
She said Government has identified that vulnerable households, especially those in urban areas have witnessed a sudden increase in the cost of essential goods and services, which has negatively affected their food security, nutrition and general well-being.
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She said price shock intervention is also meant to cushion the negative socio-economic impacts that are threatening to undermine not only the gains that have been recorded at household level, but also overall growth and progress towards attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS).
Ms. Mwamba explained that like many other countries, Zambia has not been spared from the current global challenges such as rising fuel and energy costs driven by price volatility on the international market, hence the price shock intervention.
Ms Mwamba reiterated that the primary objective of this project is to further protect and enhance consumption in poor and vulnerable households affected by the shock through the expansion of the existing cash transfer programme by incorporating mechanisms that specifically address price shocks.
“It’s envisaged that the emergency cash transfer will
improve food security and nutrition, and enable households to maintain access to nutritious food during price shocks to enhance human development” she said.
She said Government is determined to strengthen the social protection system by incorporating mechanisms specifically designed to respond to price shocks to improve the overall effectiveness and efficiency of social safety nets.
