THE TRANSFORMATION AND STRUCTURAL NEEDS OF THE HOME-GROWN SCHOOL FEEDING PROGRAMME: A FRAMEWORK FOR SUSTAINABLE CAPITALISATION
The Socialist Party acknowledges the Government of the Republic of Zambia’s recent policy focus to elevate the scale of the Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (HGSFP). The expansion of the dedicated budget line to K534.4 million, alongside the progressive target of reaching K642.9 million and covering all 116 districts, reflects a correct identification of school feeding as a critical pillar of social protection. This is particularly vital in the wake of severe climate shocks and macroeconomic adjustments that have left many households vulnerable.
However, a sober and constructive analysis of the programme’s current financing model reveals a profound structural deficit that compromises its long-term viability and human capital outcomes. While the aggregate allocations seem vast on paper, the rapid expansion in learner coverage, scaling toward a target of 6.6 million children, has diluted the per-capita investment to a critical level.
Independent assessments by UNICEF and the Zambia Institute for Policy Analysis and Research (ZIPAR) indicate that current domestic spending sits at approximately K104 per child per year. When measured against the recognised international benchmark of K650 ($25.20) per child per year required to guarantee a consistent, daily, and nutritionally balanced meal, our nation faces an operational deficit of K546 per student.
This funding gap manifests on the ground as sporadic meal distribution and limited dietary diversity in under-resourced districts. It also shifts an undue operational burden onto international cooperating partners and struggling local community structures to plug the deficit.
The political spotlight has shifted toward the HGSFP because it provides immediate, highly visible relief during periods of climate vulnerability, contrasting with the slower infrastructure-disbursement timelines observed under the Constituency Development Fund (CDF). Yet, temporary emergency relief must not be confused with sustainable, institutionalised social security.
To fully appreciate the scale of the challenge, we must look at the hard mathematics of our current educational demographic:
• Target Learner Population: 6,600,000 children nationwide.
• The Per-Capita Deficit: K546 per child per year (the difference between the current K104 allocation and the K650 international benchmark).
• Total Annual Funding Gap: K3,603,600,000 (Approximately K3.6 billion).
To transition the HGSFP from an underfunded safety net into a robust engine for health, education, and rural development, the Socialist Party proposes a comprehensive, domestic resource mobilisation strategy rooted in mining sector tax reforms.
The Socialist Party Policy Framework for Sustainable Nutrition:
1. Mineral Revenue Restructuring and Ring-Fencing:
The K3.6 billion funding gap can be comfortably absorbed by addressing systemic under-taxation in large-scale mining operations. We propose three specific interventions designed to capture fair value from our mineral wealth without disrupting operational viability:
• Restructuring the Sliding-Scale Mineral Royalty Tax (MRT): We should adjust the current MRT bands. When international copper prices exceed $9,000 per metric tonne, the top marginal royalty rate should increase by 2.5%. Based on current production volumes across Tier-1 mines, this single adjustment is projected to yield an additional K1.95 billion annually.
• Elimination of Deductibility and Indexing Transfer Pricing: We should reverse policies that allow mining companies to aggressively deduct financial costs against corporate income tax. Furthermore, by strictly auditing transfer pricing, where copper concentrates are sold to foreign-based subsidiaries at below-market rates, the state will recover an estimated K1.10 billion in previously uncaptured Corporate Income Tax (CIT) revenues.
• Windfall Tax on Critical Green Minerals: Demand for cobalt, nickel, and lithium has surged. We should introduce a modest 5% windfall tax on the extraction of these critical minerals, which applies strictly during periods of high international demand, generating an estimated K750 million annually.
These three targeted fiscal measures will generate a combined K3.80 billion in new annual revenue. From this newly mobilised capital, K3.60 billion will be legally ring-fenced and funnelled directly into a newly established National Child Nutrition Trust Fund to permanently meet the K650 per-capita benchmark. The remaining surplus of K200 million will be channelled into scaling up climate-resilient infrastructure.
2. Climate-Resilient School Production Units:
The K100 million targeted for school production units requires a major shift in implementation strategy. Rather than treating these units as supplemental manual labour, the state must deploy active capital investments. We propose utilising the K200 million mining tax surplus to equip public schools with standardised, solar-powered boreholes and micro-drip irrigation infrastructure. This ensures that school gardens remain insulated from erratic rainfall patterns, shifting production from seasonal maize to diverse, high-protein legumes, vegetables, and small-livestock rearing.
3. Institutionalised Smallholder Cooperatives and Fixed Procurement:
To maximise the “Home-Grown” aspect of the programme, procurement must move away from ad-hoc district contracts that favour well-capitalised intermediaries. We propose a structured, state-backed cooperative model. Local smallholder farmers will receive guaranteed off-take agreements at fair, indexed prices managed by the Food Reserve Agency (FRA) in partnership with District Education Boards. This shifts the programme from a passive food-distribution system to an active fiscal multiplier within rural economies, ensuring that every Kwacha spent circulates back into local agriculture.
True national sovereignty and economic resilience begin with the physical and cognitive well-being of our youth. We cannot build a developed Zambia on the growling stomachs of hungry children. We urge the government to move beyond celebratory aggregate numbers and join us in committing to a legally binding, fully funded per-capita standard that guarantees every Zambian child their right to daily, high-quality nutrition.
Fred M’membe
SP President