Attachments
COUNTRY STRATEGY:
WFP operates in Zambia through a Country Programme (DEV 200157), supporting the Government's priorities to reach the MDG hunger targets.
WFP aimed to assist over one million people in 2014 in an effort to preserve livelihoods, safeguard the nutritional status of vulnerable groups, and respond to drought and floods. The CO also works to strengthen government and private sector capacity to implement sustainable solutions to nutrition and hunger deficiencies. Zambia is a UN "Delivering as One" country and operates within the framework of the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF). WFP has been present in Zambia since 1967.
Summary of WFP assistance:
WFP in Zambia operates within the framework of a Country Programme (2011-2015) which seeks to 1) improve safety nets by providing in-kind food assistance, technical assistance, and advocacy for enhanced nutritional support for all Zambians (with particular attention to vulnerable groups), 2) improve government’s preparedness to respond to and mitigate disasters as a way of reducing vulnerability and preserving livelihoods 3) expand market opportunities for smallholder farmers by leveraging local food procurement for social protection programmes. WFP’s Country Programme aligns with the United Nations Development Assistance Framework, as well as the Government of Zambia’s Sixth National Development Plan.
With the support of WFP, Zambia is transitioning its national school feeding programme to a country-wide Home Grown School Feeding (HGSF) programme, which is largely seen by government and other actors as a catalyst for rural development. The programme has a goal of reaching 1 million school children by the end of 2015. The Government provides all cereals and covers secondary transport costs, while WFP supplements this with pulses procured through the Purchase for Progress (P4P) programme and fortified vegetable oil. WFP is also ensuring government ownership of the by providing technical assistance and management support: WFP has been working with the WFP Centre of Excellence Against Hunger in Brazil to support the Zambian Government’s efforts to transition into a fully integrated multi sector HGSF programme and has helped to develop policy and an implementation framework.
Further to WFP’s efforts to build the Government’s capacity to ensure sustainable food security in the country, WFP has set goals to enhance the agricultural sector. For example, WFP has provided technical support to the Zambia Food Reserve Agency (FRA) in strategic grain supply chain management, assurance of quality control and information management systems. Through the Purchase for Progress (P4P) initiative, WFP supports smallholder farmers/farmer organizations to increase production, access markets, and trade quality commodities in Zambia.
Under the Country Programme’s Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) component, WFP continues is supporting the Government to develop national contingency plans within its National Disaster Risk Management Framework.
WFP provides technical support to the Government in implementing its national Social Cash Transfer programme by helping to procure and integrate a payment provider, developing a beneficiary registration system, and rolling-out a mobile-based data collection system.
WFP in Zambia takes into account the various and unique contexts of each of its beneficiaries and ensures that the needs of both men and women are met. All monitoring tools track progress made by both genders, including in decision making and access to resources. Under P4P, and in line with WFP’s gender mainstreaming goals, WFP provides women with access to labor-saving technology, imparts business skills, and implements financial literacy and capacity building activities.
As part of the UN "Delivering as One" WFP is actively engaged in the UN-Government discussions to develop a Partnership Framework that will focus more on building the capacity of government to manage its development agenda.