FAO’s EFFORTS IN SCALING UP SUPPORT FOR SDGs IN ZAMBIA

By HAPPY MULOLANI

POVERTY is one of the concerns which has serious ramifications on most rural households. About 60 percent of people who live in rural areas are poor and are faced with challenges such as limited access to markets, finance, improved technologies and infrastructure, fragile and degrading natural resources, among others.

But to combat rural poverty requires providing an enabling environment through multisectoral policies, strategies and programmes aimed at addressing the economic, environmental and social vulnerabilities which poor rural households encounter in their everyday lives (FAO, 2019).

This presents the necessity for partners to contribute towards poverty alleviation through specific approaches in African countries, of which Zambia is no exception. In order to eliminate poverty, requires partners to work in collaboration with government to embark on appropriate interventions aimed at addressing poverty.

One such partner is the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, which has committed itself towards providing interventions meant to drive the economic and social progress for all, as one of the three global goals through its key components of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

This understanding culminated in the conceptualization of the Capacity Development Programme, which aims at strengthening the use of poverty analysis to achieve the first two goals of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda (SDG). SDG 1 focusses on alleviating poverty and SDG 2 deals with achieving Zero hunger. The programme, which is designed to support national efforts to achieve shared prosperity, specifically targeted government staff from Zambia and Ghana.

Its main objective is to strengthen national capacities to utilise poverty analysis for policy and programme design, and tailored towards monitoring and evaluation of these policies and programmes with a view to achieving the aforestated first two SDGs. It envisages to stimulate shared prosperity through an approach which involves inter-ministerial coordination for participatory formulation and implementation of strategies which address rural poverty and hunger.

FAO supports this initiative under its Strategic Programme 3 “reduce rural poverty” as it leverages and builds upon all five strategic programme and 3 regional initiatives, as part of efforts to effectively support countries in achieving the SDGs through adopting multi-sectoral approaches towards poverty reduction, with emphasis on interdependence and appropriate linkages between poverty, food security and nutrition (FAO, 2019).

The three phased programme included; phase 1, online course for five weeks and participants were expected to spend at least 15 hours of total study time. Second, phase 2, face-to-face training, which was conducted for five days in Akosombo, Ghana. And third, phase 3, coaching sessions which included a follow-up and support towards the implementation of action plans.

In a recent graduation ceremony of eight graduates of the Executive Programme, Ministry of Community Development and Social Services (MCDSS) Director of Planning and Information, Edmond Mwakalombe disclosed that the MCDSS in collaboration with FAO facilitated the participation of staff in the Executive training programme.

Mr Mwakalombe explained that eight ministries and one agency from Zambia, participated in the programme. These include Ministry of Community Development and Social Services, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of National Development and Planning, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, Ministry of Commerce Trade and Industry, Ministry of Lands Natural Resources, Ministry of Local Government and Central Statistics Office (CSO) as an agency. Overall, eight participants successfully completed the programme.

He said the programme’s face-to-face phase of the course was key as it enabled participants from Zambia and Ghana to share their experiences and insights in line with poverty. This backdrop of shared experiences and lessons learnt informed their actions.

“This necessitated the Zambian team to come up with an action plan on the cash plus that was brought to the attention of your office, PS and action is being taken to move forward this action plan,” Mr Mwakalombe said.

And Ministry of Community Development and Social Services Permanent Secretary Pamela Kabamba said Government has reaffirmed its commitment to work towards ensuring achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through building capacity in staff.

Mrs. Kabamba emphasized that government was working to ensure capacity building in staff across ministries through the Executive Programme in order to strengthen the use of poverty analysis to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS) 1 and 2.

She said government will continue to collaborate with the Food and Agriculture Organization in order to enhance capacities needed to serve beneficiaries. 

Food and Agriculture Organization, Country Representative, George Okech, said despite the country making significant progress in the Zambian economy, poverty still remains one of the major concerns as over half of the population are poor.

“Majority of the poor are found in rural areas while extreme poverty in rural areas is five times what is obtaining in urban areas,” Mr Okech said.

In pursuit of efforts to alleviate poverty, Mr Okech explained that FAO will endeavour to support the government achieve its vision 2030 objective of “a prosperous middle income country by 2030” through an integrated multi-sectoral approach development in recognition of the numerous causes of poverty.

 “FAO is committed to supporting countries in meeting the SDGs which align with FAO’s strategic framework. FAO’s efforts are meant towards tackling the root causes of poverty and hunger to have a better society,” Mr Okech said.

Mr Okech expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Community Development and Social Services (MCDSS) for partnering with FAO and spearheading this initiative from Government. He also commended the key partner, IFPRI, for the support rendered towards the online and face to face phases of the programme.

A graduating participant, Tebuho Suuya said the experiences shared, lessons learnt and the support offered by FAO experts during the training programme was useful in identifying action plans around the cash plus concept in Zambia and will support the successful implementation of these action plans.

It is encouraging that FAO remains committed to support countries which envision achieving the SDGs forthwith, through its strategic framework towards tackling root causes of poverty and hunger, which is meant to have a better society. Thus, the inception of the Executive Programme is a milestone given that it focusses on strengthening capacities on poverty analysis. Further, concerted efforts should hover around increasing collaboration and support among staff and stakeholders in a bid to alleviate poverty and hunger.

Clearly, despite the eminent challenges alluded to which people face, the need to develop a multi-sectoral, multi-track approach is apparent. In order to address the economic, social and environmental vulnerabilities which poor rural households experience in their everyday lives, requires national committment and leadership, providing an enabling environment, coupled with applying appropriate knowledge and capacity to design investment support that generates real and enduring change.