January 2011 Basic Needs and Nutrition Basket: JCTR’s Basic Needs Basket Shows a Mixed Picture in 2010
Abstract
During this period, the JCTR continued to monitor the cost of living with a view to exposing the plight
of the poor to policy-makers through its Basic Needs Basket (BNB). The BNB measures the cost of
basic food items and essential non-food items for an average family of six in a specific town. A review
of the Lusaka BNB for the year showed a mixed picture. At the beginning of the year, an increase in
the cost of both food and non-food items were recorded with a higher increase recorded in non-food
than basic food needs. The rise was mainly attributed to the average cost of a three bedroom house
in medium density areas such as Kabwata, Libala and Chelstone from K1,100,000 to K1,500,000.
Description
Generally, the cost of living was relatively stable for the most part of the year with a sharp decline
recorded in the cost of food in August 2010. This was attributed to significant reductions in the cost of
mealie meal and dry foods such as kapenta and dry fish. However, the reduction in the cost of basic
food was completely offset by a corresponding rise in the cost of electricity, a major household
expenditure. Therefore, the overall cost of the BNB maintained an upward trend closing at
K2,897,430 in December, a difference of K201,400 when compared to the January total BNB of
K2,696,030.