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Over two million people have reportedly benefited from social protection interventions during Zambia’s emergency response to the severe drought that prompted the presidential declaration of a National Disaster and Emergency on February 29, 2024, according to the country’s authorities.
The drought, caused by erratic rainfall linked to climate change, severely affected the 2023/2024 farming season, compounding multiple shocks the country has faced in recent years.
Minister of Community Development and Social Services, Doreen Mwamba, made the claim in a ministerial statement to Parliament on Tuesday, highlighting the impact of government social protection programmes.
She said the response targeted 952,570 households across all 116 districts, including 726,361 households in the 84 most severely affected districts, who have been receiving Emergency Cash Transfers (ECT).
“These interventions were implemented alongside the regular Social Cash Transfer (SCT) programme, which already supports 1.3 million households. These households received additional top-ups to boost their resilience during the crisis,” Mwamba said.
She also revealed that the Emergency Cash Transfer programme was currently undergoing a comprehensive review to assess its impact, efficiency, and sustainability. The review aims to inform a potential expansion and guide future strategic decisions to better serve Zambia’s most vulnerable citizens.
On the Cash for Work programme, Mwamba said the initiative—coordinated in partnership with the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) and local councils—has played a crucial role in the crisis response.
“This initiative provides short-term employment to disaster-affected individuals who are engaged in vital community projects such as road maintenance, drainage clearing, tree planting, and water conservation, while earning an income to support their families,” she explained.
The Minister expressed optimism, noting that both government assessments and independent evaluations show that the interventions have yielded broad benefits, including improved food security and household nutrition, increased access to education and healthcare, and the prevention of harmful coping mechanisms like school dropouts and asset sales.
“They have also enabled small-scale livelihood ventures such as poultry farming and trading, while stimulating local markets and supporting rural economies and small businesses,” she added.
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