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The cost of living for a family of five in Lusaka for the month of August declined by K170.28, standing at K11,432.17 compared to K11,602.45 recorded in July, according to the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR) August 2025 Basic Needs and Nutrition Basket (BNNB).
The drop was mainly driven by a notable decrease in essential non-food items, which fell by K154.10, while food costs recorded a marginal reduction of K16.18.
JCTR Social and Economic Development Programme Officer, Lukwesa Musonda, confirmed the findings in a statement issued in Lusaka on Tuesday.
Among food commodities, significant price increases were recorded for vegetables (up K180.11), chicken (up K85.30), and fresh milk (up K57.00). Conversely, kapenta prices dropped by K95.80, other fruits by K92.96, and beef by K89.12.
Under non-food items, the price of a 90kg bag of charcoal decreased by K76.67.
“These shifts reflect ongoing volatility in both food and non-food commodities, underscoring the need for continued monitoring of household affordability, particularly in urban areas,” Musonda said.
She stressed that despite minor fluctuations, the overall BNNB cost remained significantly above the national average household income of K5,342, leaving families struggling to meet basic food and non-food needs.
Citing the Ministry of Agriculture’s Food Balance Sheet Report 2019–2023, Musonda said Zambia produced enough calories per person per day (2,340 kcal), mainly from maize and cassava.
However, gaps remain in nutrition, with intake of proteins, calcium, vitamin A, zinc, and iron—especially for women—falling below recommended levels.
“Animal products and oils, which are crucial for addressing these deficiencies, remain expensive and dependent on imports, making them inaccessible for many families.
“Consequently, nearly 30 percent of the population is undernourished, even though the country appears food secure,” she stated.
Musonda warned that food availability alone was not enough, as affordability remained a major barrier. She cited significant price fluctuations in essential foods such as rice, cassava meal, and tomatoes, which make healthy diets difficult to maintain.
She further highlighted that high post-harvest losses in crops such as cassava, potatoes, and rice contribute to food waste and price instability. During the launch of the Lusaka City Council AfriFOODlink Desk on August 29, it was noted that limited value addition and inadequate cold storage facilities were driving losses, with tomatoes alone experiencing wastage of about 30 percent.
Musonda called for the promotion of diverse and nutrition-sensitive agriculture by supporting small-scale farmers to expand production beyond maize and cassava to include legumes, vegetables, fruits, fish, and livestock.
“This improves local availability of nutrient-rich foods while creating resilient farming systems that enhance nutrition security,” she said.
She also urged the government to strengthen social protection measures, including social cash transfers, school feeding, and Public Welfare Assistance Schemes, to cushion vulnerable households against price fluctuations.
“While Zambia has made progress in producing sufficient food, this has not yet translated into nutrition security for its people. Families continue to eat to survive rather than to thrive amidst high malnutrition levels. Urgent action is needed to make nutritious, diverse diets both available and affordable so that every Zambian household can live with dignity,” Musonda said.
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