October 2005 Basic Needs and Nutrition Basket: Fuel Crisis to Affect more the Poor, Says JCTR
Abstract
The JCTR Basic Needs Basket (measuring the cost of living for a family of six in Lusaka, Livingston, Kabwe, Ndola, Luanshya and Kitwe) is a highlight of food and non-food items necessary for a decent and sustainable human survival. Its composition is certainly not designed to promote movement towards unnecessarily higher levels of consumption. Rather it shows only basic requirements for survival, which unfortunately even at that level has
continued to be beyond many households in Zambia. For example, in the month of September, the cost of basic needs, food and non-food in Lusaka stood at K1,353,790.
Description
It is JCTR’s view that Zambia can become a force for change by moving away from the current approaches to development designed on massive consumption of the earth’s resources. The current fuel crisis offers a challenging occasion to reflect on the kind of development Zambia is taking. One might well view Brigadier General Miyanda’s cycling as a political ploy but one could also ask, is it demonstrating an approach that makes more sense to have a sustainable world?