By 
Ministry of Green Economy and Environment Permanent Secretary, Douty Chibamba, says Zambia’s food systems must be placed at the core of climate, health and economic policymaking, warning that treating them as an agricultural issue alone would undermine national development goals.
Speaking at the launch of the 2025 EAT-Lancet Commission in Zambia, Chibamba said global evidence showed that nearly all planetary boundaries were being breached, with a significant share of emissions linked to current methods of food production, processing and consumption.
He said for Zambia, aligning agriculture, land use and nutrition with the National Green Economy Strategy was essential if the country was to build resilience and meet climate commitments.
Chibamba emphasised the importance of reviving and promoting diverse, plant-rich traditional Zambian foods — including beans, sweet potatoes, leafy greens, village chicken and millet — as a pathway to fight malnutrition and rising non-communicable diseases.
He said this must be accompanied by rapid scaling up of climate-smart agriculture, agroecology and regenerative practices to protect forests, rivers, soils and biodiversity.
“There is need to place smallholder farmers, women, youth and persons with disabilities at the centre of transformation, with targeted support, finance and market access in line with agriculture, health, environment and trade policies,” Chibamba said.
He added that transforming food systems is a high-return investment that can unlock rural jobs, strengthen value chains, build a healthier workforce and reduce the hidden financial costs of environmental degradation and disease.
“Transforming our food systems is essential if we are to achieve our climate ambitions, protect biodiversity and ensure the well-being of our people,” he said, noting that Zambia was positioned to lead by example in Africa by integrating food systems reforms into its Green Economy agenda.
Chibamba thanked the EAT-Lancet Commission and implementing partners, calling for joint leadership from government, farmers, the private sector and civil society.
“Every meal we eat, every crop we plant and every policy we enact shapes the future of Zambia,” he said.
WARNING! All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express permission from ZAMBIA MONITOR.
Comments