Government has committed to implement performance-based interventions to address poverty amidst various challenges such as drought and climate change.

Ministry Of Community Development and Social Services, has since reviewed progress on the Ministerial workplan and on various social protections programmes, as well as human development interventions for the year 2023 through the Ministerial Annual Report soon to be presented to Cabinet and Parliament to justify implementation of programmes and budget execution.

Speaking during the Annual Ministerial Report and top management meeting in Mazabuka, Ministry of Community Development and Social Services, Permanent Secretary, Ms. Angela Kawandami, said with increased funding resulting in increased beneficiaries, the Ministry therefore through the report will verify the 2023 performance.

The meeting tackled departmental progress made on the Social Cash Transfer, the Food Security Pack, Supporting Women’s Livelihoods, registration of non-governmental organizations, child protection and related programmes, and the status of the Cash Plus Initiative.

Ms. Kawandami therefore said the annual report plays a critical role in allocation of resources for the attainment of the aspirations of the eighth national development plan (8NDP) as well as other set human development milestones.

The Permanent Secretary acknowledged that poverty levels in Zambia, according to the Living Conditions Survey, have increased from 54.4 percent in 2015, to 60 percent in 2022 due to various factors which Government through the Ministry is working to address through several poverty reduction programmes.