November 2000 Basic Needs and Nutrition Basket: Food Basket Cost Shoots up: JCTR Calls Upon Parliament to Seriously Look at the Rising Cost of Living
Abstract
According to the JCTR's monthly food basket for a family of six in Lusaka, the cost of living has gone up by a huge margin. The survey indicates that for a family of six in Lusaka to survive, without taking into account transport, health, education, housing, etc., they would need K290,310. This shows an increase of K11,935 from the September figure of K278,375. This rise is in the wake of an interaction of various forces. The increase in the cost of fuel
has precipitated an increase in inflation and also has necessitated corresponding increments in the prices various commodities and services. Added to all this has been the Kwacha's continued depreciation in relation to the United States Dollar. According to Barclays Bank, the Kwacha will continue to fall until the end of the year and probably continue doing so in the New Year.
Description
The other intervention should be to make next year's budget pro-poor not in rhetoric but in reality, that is in practical policy terms. There are ways and means through which the rising cost of living and deteriorating living standards can be checked. For example, Parliament should look at specific things like abolishing school fees, directing resources towards health care, improving agricultural policies, etc. The current socio-economic trends continue to marginalize people's participation in economic development in that they are incapacitated. This situation is in itself an antithesis to development.