‘Ambition doesn’t deliver outcomes,’ Economists urge govt to ensure Grow Zambia benefits households

Economics Association of Zambia (EAZ) has urged the government to ensure its Grow Zambia economic agenda translated into more jobs, higher household incomes and lower poverty rather than being measured mainly by economic growth figures.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, EAZ National Secretary, John Musantu, said the agenda represented a necessary shift from economic stabilisation towards sustained growth and prosperity, but warned that ambitious production targets alone would not improve the welfare of ordinary Zambians.

Musantu said the agenda should be fully aligned with Zambia’s Ninth National Development Plan and national budget.

The targets include producing 10 million tonnes of maize, 10,000 megawatts of electricity, five million tourist arrivals, three million tonnes each of copper and soya beans, one million tonnes each of wheat and sugar, and US$1 billion in beef export earnings by 2031.

“Ambition alone does not deliver outcomes,” Musantu said.

He said the success of the agenda should ultimately be measured by whether it created jobs, increased household incomes, reduced poverty and improved quality of life, rather than by economic growth statistics alone.

EAZ said the eight targets should be properly costed, sequenced and incorporated into the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework, with clear and measurable output indicators.

Musantu also called for the targets to be linked to the aspirations of Vision 2030, particularly sustained economic growth, poverty reduction and improved access to water, education and healthcare.

He said the government should ensure that economic gains reached rural households, women, young people and small businesses.

“Without deliberate action on these fronts, Zambia risks a scenario in which national output rises while poverty, informality and inequality remain stubbornly unchanged,” he said.

On agriculture, EAZ proposed regional crop specialisation and stronger cooperative aggregation to improve access to finance and create employment in rural areas.

The association also urged the government to address licensing, electricity and water constraints in the mining sector, strengthen local-content measures and support the formalisation of artisanal mining.

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