March 2006 Basic Needs and Nutrition Basket: JCTR Calls for Introduction of a Serious Feeding Programme in all Primary Schools

The Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR) is calling upon government to seriously and urgently consider providing feeding programmes in all primary schools across the country. The JCTR makes this call in light of three major factors. First, on the basis of the Basic Needs Basket information that has increasingly shown household difficult economic situations. Second, as a response to the recently launched 2006 UNICEF Report “State of The World’s Children.” Third, on the basis of the recent World Bank Report entitled “Repositioning of Nutrition as Central to Development.” According to Muweme Muweme Coordinator of the Social Conditions Research Project of the JCTR, the monthly Basic Needs Basket has consistently shown a disproportionate situation of high cost of living on one hand and a general situation of low incomes of many households on the other. For example, in the month of February, the cost of food alone for a family of six in Lusaka was K508,450 compared to K506,250 in January. In Livingstone food alone was costing K533,200, Kabwe K465,020, Ndola K512,680, Kitwe K504,880 and Luanshya K507,710. This highlight of food alone is designed to give prominence to the foremost of needs for every human being, the need for food. The inability to meet or afford food presents us with all kinds of serious consequences for the household and the overall economy.