HIGHLIGHTS:
Highlights from His Excellency President Hakainde Hichilema’s National address on the drought response appeal.
✅Zambia has experienced extremely low rainfall this year culminating into the worst drought the country has ever experienced since records began.
✅Climate change has brought increased Frequency and intensity of extreme weather events such as drought and flooding.
✅ The Drought has mostly affected crop production were one million hectors of planted maize has been adversely affected in 84 of the 116 Districts
✅ Pasture availability has been reduced for animals, while ground and surface water levels have been affected negatively.
✅9.8million people have been
adversely affected by the drought.
✅6.6 million are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance.
✅To respond to the adverse effects of the drought, emphasis is being placed on the provision of food assistance to the people in need as well as interventions for early recovery and resilience building.
✅Focus is being placed on investing in water development for Agricultural and Energy production as well as the provision of water to households, Livestock and Wildlife.
✅ A total of K23.5 billion is urgently needed to effectively implement immediate life saving and life sustaining and humanitarian recovery needs.
✅Of this amount,K1.3billion is available leaving a financing gap of K22.2 billion.
✅K12.6billion is required for immediate food assistance out of which K28.3 million is available leaving a gap of K12.54 billion.
✅The Education sector particularly expanding the school feeding programme a sum of K784 million is urgently needed.
✅For the Health sector, K2.5billion is required out of which K51.7 million is available leaving a gap of K2.45 billion.
✅To protect the integrity and well being of children under five, as well as pregnant mothers,a total of K532 million is needed.
✅Water resources development management a key pillar of early recovery and resilience building, a total of K3.02 billion out of which K569million is available leaving a gap of K2.4 billion.
✅ Agricultural production, as part of early recovery and resilience building will require K2.5billion an amount equivalent to the fundraising gap of this specific activity since no resources are available for the proposed interventions.
✅Livestock and Wildlife preservation and well being will require K1.7 billion out of which K98millon is a available leaving a gap K1.5 billion