REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA

SPEECH DELIVERED BY

HIS EXCELLENCY DR. EDGAR CHAGWA LUNGU PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF ZAMBIA

DURING THE TOUR OF SELECTED PILOT PROGRAMME FOR CLIMATE RESILIENCE SITES LUKULU DISTRICT, WESTERN PROVINCE

MONDAY, 13TH JULY, 2020

STATE HOUSE LUSAKA

1 | P a g e

 THE MINISTER OF NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLANNING, HON. ALEXANDER CHITEME, MP;  THE MINISTER OF LANDS AND NATURAL RESOURCES, HON. JEAN KAPATA;  OTHER CABINET MINISTERS PRESENT;  THE WESTERN PROVINCE MINISTER, HON. RICHARD KAPITA, MP;  MEMBERS OF THE PATRIOTIC FRONT CENTRAL COMMITTEE PRESENT;  ROYAL HIGHNESSES PRESENT;  PERMANENT SECRETARIES PRESENT;  THE WORLD BANK GROUP COUNTRY MANAGER, DR SAHR KPUNDEH;  SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS;  MEMBERS OF THE PRESS;  DISTINGUISHED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:

MUCWANI BATU BA KWAHAYE?

AND HOW IS EVERYONE?

I AM DELIGHTED TO BE HERE AND TO APPRECIATE CHALLENGES IN IMPLEMENTING THE PILOT PROGRAMME FOR CLIMATE RESILIENCE (PPCR) WHICH COVERS WESTERN, CENTRAL, LUSAKA AND SOUTHERN PROVINCES. THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 50.6 MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLAR PROJECT DEMONSTRATES MY GOVERNMENT’S RESOLVE TO SUSTAIN LIVELIHOODS EVEN IN THE MIDST OF HARSH SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CONDITIONS NECESSITATED BY CLIMATE CHANGE.

2 | P a g e

WHEN I LAUNCHED THE SEVENTH NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN, I EMPHASISED THAT THE PLAN WILL BE IMPLEMENTED WITHIN THE PRINCIPLE OF NOT LEAVING ANYONE BEHIND. THIS PRINCIPLE IS IN LINE WITH THE PLEDGE WE MADE AS GLOBAL LEADERS WHEN WE AGREED ON THE 17 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS DURING THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN 2015.

DISTINGUISHED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WE ARE ALL AWARE THAT THE PATRIOTIC FRONT GOVERNMENT HAS ALWAYS PURSUED AN AMBITIOUS AGENDA OF DELIVERING SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. THIS HAS BEEN DONE THROUGH THE CONSTRUCTION AND REHABILITATION OF VARIOUS INFRASTRUCTURAL PROJECTS AND IMPLEMENTATION OF OTHER PROGRAMMES IN SECTORS SUCH AS AGRICULTURE, HEALTH, EDUCATION, BUILDING OF CHIEFS’ PALACES, INCLUDING, DREDGING OF CANALS TO MENTION BUT A FEW.

THIS DEVELOPMENT HAS BEEN SPREAD ACROSS THE LENGTH AND BREADTH OF OUR COUNTRY TO ENSURE THAT THE BENEFITS OF DEVELOPMENT ACCRUE TO ALL ZAMBIANS AND THAT NO PROVINCE IS LEFT BEHIND WITHIN THE AVAILABLE RESOURCES.

3 | P a g e

DISTINGUISHED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, DESPITE OUR RESOLVE TO ENSURE THAT DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS REACH EVERYONE AND EVERYWHERE, CLIMATE CHANGE CONTINUES TO BE AN ENEMY TO OUR SUCCESS AND WE MUST ALL UNDERSTAND THAT THIS CHALLENGE IS REAL. IN ZAMBIA IT HAS EMERGED AS ONE OF THE MOST PRESSING ISSUES THREATENING THE ATTAINMENT OF THE COUNTRY’S DEVELOPMENT GOALS CONTAINED IN THE SEVENTH NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN.

WESTERN PROVINCE HAS NOT BEEN SPARED FROM CLIMATE HAZARDS, PARTICULARLY, FLOODS WHICH HAVE ADVERSELY IMPACTED FOOD SECURITY AND SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS OF OUR PEOPLE. CLIMATE CHANGE HAS ALSO AFFECTED CONNECTIVITY OF COMMUNITIES TO PRODUCTION AREAS AND MARKETS BECAUSE OF THE DAMAGE CAUSED TO INFRASTRUCTURE SUCH AS ROADS, BRIDGES, SCHOOLS AND HEALTH FACILITIES.

IN ADDITION TO WHAT I HAVE STATED, FLOODING, SILTING AND CLOGGING OF CANALS IS ONE OF THE MAJOR ADVERSE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE ESPECIALLY HERE IN WESTERN PROVINCE.

DISTINGUISHED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, AS A RESPONSE TO REDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE EFFECTS IN THE PROVINCE, GOVERNMENT HAS PUT IN PLACE VARIOUS INTERVENTIONS TO HELP CUSHION THE NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON COMMUNITIES.

4 | P a g e

GOVERNMENT COMMENCED THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PILOT PROGRAMME FOR CLIMATE RESILIENCE WITH SUPPORT FROM THE CLIMATE INVESTMENT FUND THROUGH THE WORLD BANK AND THE AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK. THIS PROGRAMME HAS A COMPONENT ON STRENGTHENING CLIMATE RESILIENCE IN THE BAROTSE SUB- BASIN (SCREBS) WHICH IS BEING IMPLEMENTED IN ALL THE 16 DISTRICTS OF WESTERN PROVINCE AS WELL AS IN KAZUNGULA DISTRICT OF SOUTHERN PROVINCE.

THROUGH THIS PROJECT, COMMUNITIES ARE BEING SUPPORTED TO BUILD RESILIENCE BY DIVERSIFYING LIVELIHOODS TO INCLUDE INCOME GENERATION ACTIVITIES THAT ARE NOT HEAVILY AFFECTED BY WEATHER AND CLIMATE CHANGE. THUS, NON-FARM ACTIVITIES SUCH AS CRAFTS MAKING, MUSHROOM GROWING AND HONEY PRODUCTION ARE BEING PROMOTED.

FURTHER, COMMUNITIES ARE BEING SUPPORTED WITH MARKET LINKAGES FOR EFFECTIVE PROCUREMENT OF INPUTS AND ACCESS TO MARKETS FOR THEIR PRODUCTS. MY COMING HERE IS TO SEE HOW THESE PROJECTS HAVE EVOLVED AND LISTEN TO SUCCESS STORIES AND INDEED ANY CHALLENGES THAT BENEFICIARIES ARE EXPERIENCING.

5 | P a g e

DISTINGUISHED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, UNDER THIS PROJECT, GOVERNMENT HAS SUPPORTED ONE HUNDRED AND TEN THOUSAND, FOUR HUNDRED AND TWELVE HOUSEHOLDS TO UNDERTAKE LIVELIHOOD ACTIVITIES TO HELP THEM INCREASE THEIR INCOME LEVELS, ENSURE FOOD SECURITY, AS WELL AS INCREASE THEIR ADAPTIVE CAPACITY. SUPPORT PROVIDED THROUGH THIS PROJECT HAS INDEED BENEFITTED ABOUT FIVE HUNDRED AND FIVE THOUSAND AND SEVENTY FIVE PEOPLE, OF WHICH 55.2 PERCENT ARE WOMEN. ONE EXAMPLE OF A COMMUNITY THAT HAS BENEFITTED FROM THIS SUPPORT IS A COMMUNITY IN YETA WARD IN MONGU DISTRICT.

A GROUP FROM THIS COMMUNITY COMPRISING 105 MEMBERS HAS BEEN TRAINED IN FIBER PRODUCTION; AND THESE ARE LINKED TO INTERNATIONAL MARKETS WHICH INCLUDE, SOUTH AFRICA, DENMARK, FINLAND, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND OTHERS. THIS GROUP USES GRASS FROM AROUND THE ZAMBEZI RIVER TO MAKE GOOD QUALITY FIBER PRODUCTS SUCH AS BASKETS, MATS AND OTHER DECORATIVE ITEMS WHICH ARE SOLD WITHIN AND OUTSIDE THE COUNTRY. THE GROUP HAS SO FAR RAISED OVER TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND KWACHA IN REVENUE TO SUSTAIN ITS OPERATIONS AND ITS MEMBERS HAVE NOW BEEN ABLE TO SUPPORT THEIR FAMILIES.

DISTINGUISHED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I AM ALSO INFORMED THAT THERE IS A COMMUNITY ON MBETA ISLAND IN SIOMA DISTRICT THAT HAS BEEN SUPPORTED IN UNDERTAKING FISH CAGE FARMING.

6 | P a g e

AS YOU MAY BE AWARE, THE FISH RESOURCES IN OUR RIVERS ARE DIMINISHING DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS COUPLED WITH OVERFISHING PRACTICES. THE COMMUNITY IN SIOMA IS IN THE PROCESS OF ESTABLISHING A COLD STORAGE FACILITY, WITH GOVERNMENT SUPPORT, TO ENABLE IT SUPPLY THE WHOLE DISTRICT WITH FISH.

THE COMMUNITY IS EXPECTED TO RAISE ABOUT TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND KWACHA IN ANNUAL REVENUE. THE REVENUE TO BE REALISED BY THIS COMMUNITY WILL ENABLE MEMBERS TO PROVIDE FOR THEIR FAMILIES, THEREBY ENHANCING THEIR LIVELIHOODS AND FOOD SECURITY. THUS, GOVERNMENT SUPPORT TO THIS HAS ALSO PROVIDED THESE INDIVIDUAL FAMILIES WITH THE MEANS TO CONTINUE SENDING THEIR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL.

DISTINGUISHED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, BEING COGNISANT OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE AGRICULTURE SECTOR TO THE LIVELIHOODS OF THE PEOPLE IN WESTERN PROVINCE, MY GOVERNMENT THROUGH THIS PROJECT HAS COMMITTED TO ENHANCING AGRICULTURE VALUE CHAINS BY PLACING EMPHASIS ON CITIZENS’PARTICIPATION IN AGRI BUSINESS. WESTERN PROVINCE HAS BEEN A BENEFICIARY OF RICE VALUE CHAIN, AMONG OTHERS, AND THIS INTERVENTION HAS LED TO INCREASED INCOMES AND FOOD SECURITY.

7 | P a g e

UNDER THIS COMPONENT, FIVE MILLION DOLLARS WAS EARMARKED TO BE SPENT AND SOME OF THE SUCCESS STORIES INCLUDE MANYEKANGA INTEGRATED PROJECT WHO ARE INVOLVED IN CROP, GOAT AND POULTRY FARMING, MONGU CATHOLIC DIOCESE RICE OUTGROWER SCHEME, KAOMA HONEY PROCESSING AND KATE DAM FISH AND RICE PRODUCTION AND PROCESSING.

THESE TESTIMONIES REFLECT THE PATRIOTIC FRONT GOVERNMENT’S RESOLVE TO REACH OUT TO THE MARGINALISED AND THOSE PREVIOUSLY LEFT BEHIND.

DISTINGUISHED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I AM AWARE THAT THE IDENTIFICATION OF THESE PROJECTS HAVE BEEN WITH FULL PARTICIPATION OF THE PEOPLE, THROUGH THE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLANNING PROCESS INVOLVING DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT COORDINATING COMMITTEES, PROVINCIAL DEVELOPMENT COORDINATING COMMITTEES AND THE NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT COORDINATING COMMITTEE.

I URGE COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVES TO FULLY UTILISE THESE STRUCTURES TO VOICE OUT YOUR NEEDS AND CONCERNS, INCLUDING, PROJECT IDENTIFICATION SO THAT PROJECTS BEING IMPLEMENTED REFLECT YOUR NEEDS. THE MINISTRY OF NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLANNING SHOULD ENSURE THAT THESE STRUCTURES ARE MADE EVEN STRONGER AND BROADER TO FURTHER ENLIST OUR PEOPLE’S PARTICIPATION IN THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.

8 | P a g e

DISTINGUISHED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I AM CONVINCED THAT WITH THE LEVEL OF INVESTMENT BY GOVERNMENT IN MITIGATING THE ADVERSE EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE IN BOTH WESTERN AND SOUTHERN PROVINCES, A REDUCTION IN POVERTY AND VULNERABILITY AS WELL AS DEVELOPMENTAL INEQUALITIES AND ENHANCEMENT OF HUMAN DEVELOPMENT IS EXPECTED TO BE ATTAINED AS SET OUT IN THE SEVENTH NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLAN.

THESE DOWNWARD TRENDS ARE ALREADY BEING WITNESSED WITH REGARD TO HEALTH INDICATORS AS REFLECTED IN THE LATEST ZAMBIA DEMOGRAPHIC AND HEALTH SURVEY. IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT A POVERTY ASSESSMENT IS UNDERTAKEN FOR US TO KNOW THE AREAS WHERE GAINS HAVE BEEN MADE, AND WHERE WORK STILL NEEDS TO BE DONE.

IN THIS REGARD, I AM DIRECTING THE MINISTER OF NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLANNING TO UNDERTAKE SUCH AN ASSESSMENT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

DISTINGUISHED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, GIVEN THE DEVASTATING EFFECT THAT CLIMATE CHANGE HAS HAD ON INFRASTRUCTURE SUCH AS ROADS, BRIDGES, SCHOOLS, HEALTH CENTRES AND CANALS, MY GOVERNMENT HAS EMBARKED ON CLIMATE PROOFING INFRASTRUCTURE TO MAKE THEM RESILIENT TO CLIMATE CHANGE EFFECTS.

9 | P a g e

THROUGH THE ROAD DEVELOPMENT AGENCY, WE ARE DEVELOPING CLIMATE RESILIENT STANDARDS AND CODES FOR THE DESIGN OF RESILIENT ROAD INFRASTRUCTURE.

RECENTLY, THE REHABILITATION OF THE 247 KILOMETRES CLIMATE RESILIENT ROAD FROM KALOMO TO ITEZHI TEZHI, THROUGH DUNDUMWEZI AND NGOMA, WAS COMPLETED AND COMMISSIONED.

I AM HAPPY TO NOTE THAT THE REHABILITATION OF THAT ROAD CREATEDJOBS FOR OVER 500 LOCAL PEOPLE AND HAS ALSO INCREASED ACCESS TO MARKETS IN CENTRAL, LUSAKA AND COPPERBELT PROVINCES FOR OVER 120, 000 FARMERS IN THE AREA.

ADDITIONALLY, ACCESS TO THE KAFUE NATIONAL PARK HAS ALSO INCREASED, WHICH IS EXPECTED TO HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT NOT ONLY ON REVENUE FROM TOURISM BUT ALSO JOBS FOR LOCAL PEOPLE.

DISTINGUISHED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, HERE IN THE BAROTSE SUB BASIN, MY GOVERNMENT UNDERTOOK REHABILITATION OF MAJOR CANALS WHICH INCLUDE THE FISHERIES, NGOMBALA AND NEBUBELA CANALS.

10 | P a g e

THE GOVERNMENT HAS ALSO SUPPORTED THE REHABILITATION OF OVER 50 SMALLER CANALS, RESULTING IN IMPROVED DRAINAGE OF WATER AND RECLAIMING OF 5,818 HECTARES OF ARABLE LAND, WHICH WOULD HAVE OTHERWISE, BEEN SUBMERGED IN WATER FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME. THIS LAND IS NOW USED BY OUR PEOPLE TO GROW CROPS, INCLUDING RICE, WINTER MAIZE, VEGETABLES, SWEET POTATOES, CASSAVA, SORGHUM AND MILLET, THEREBY PROVIDING THE PEOPLE THE MUCH NEEDED INCOME AND LIVELIHOODS.

DISTINGUISHED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IT IS GRATIFYING TO HAVE THESE IMPROVEMENTS, HOWEVER, MORE COULD BE DONE IF THE VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS INVOLVED COLLABORATED BETTER FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PROJECT. THE CLIMATE RESILIENCE PROGRAMME IS FOR YOU THE PEOPLE ON THE GROUND, YOU ARE THE REASON THESE PROGRAMMES ARE DESIGNED AND THE OFFICERS ARE YOUR SERVANTS THAT SHOULD HELP YOU ACTUALISE YOUR DEVELOPMENT DREAMS.

I, THEREFORE, IMPLORE THE PROVINCIAL MINISTER WORKING WITH THE MINISTER OF NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLANNING TO ENSURE THAT LOCAL AUTHORITIES AND DISTRICT ADMINISTRATIONS WORK AS A TEAM. I WANT TO SEE TO IT THAT PROJECT EQUIPMENT, INCLUDING, VEHICLES ARE USED FOR THE INTENDED PURPOSE AND STAFF ARE GIVEN THE NECESSARY SUPPORT TO ENABLE THE PROJECT WORK MORE FOR THE PEOPLE.

11 | P a g e

DISTINGUISHED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

THERE IS A SAYING THAT GOES AS FOLLOWS AND I QUOTE:

“SUCCESS BREEDS SUCCESS.”

THE DEVELOPMENT GAINS UNDER THIS PROGRAMME HAS GIVEN BIRTH TO ANOTHER PROJECT. BASED ON THE SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PILOT PROGRAMME FOR CLIMATE RESILIENCE, MY GOVERNMENT, WITH SUPPORT FROM THE WORLD BANK, IS SCALING UP THIS PROJECT TO 16 DISTRICTS OF LUAPULA, MUCHINGA AND NORTHERN PROVINCES.

THIS IS BEING IMPLEMENTED BY INJECTING, HUNDRED MILLION DOLLARS IN THE PROGRAMME UNDER THE TRANSFORMING LANDSCAPES FOR RESILIENCE AND DEVELOPMENT (TRALARD).

AGAIN, THIS SHOWS THAT WITH COLLECTIVE RESOLVE AND IMPLEMENTING PROJECTS THAT DEMONSTRATE IMPACT ON THE GROUND, SUPPORT WILL ALWAYS EMERGE AS IT HAS NOW EMERGED. AS A RESULT OF THE POSITIVE ASSESSMENT OF THE PROJECT HERE IN WESTERN AND SOUTHERN PROVINCES, YOUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN LUAPULA, MUCHINGA AND NORTHERN PROVINCES WILL EQUALLY BENEFIT, THEREBY, SPREADING DEVELOPMENT INTERVENTIONS EVENLY ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

12 | P a g e

GOING FORWARD, THE MINISTER OF NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLANNING MUST ENSURE THAT SIMILAR INTERVENTIONS ARE MADE IN NORTH WESTERN AND COPPERBELT PROVINCES TO COMPLETE A FULL COVERAGE OF CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION AND ADAPTATION PROJECTS FOR THE COUNTRY.

AS I CONCLUDE, I WOULD LIKE TO ASSURE YOU OF MY GOVERNMENT’S STEADFAST COMMITMENT TO IMPLEMENTING PROGRAMMES THAT BUILD RESILIENCE IN OUR COMMUNITIES BY DIVERSIFYING LIVELIHOODS, IMPROVING PRODUCTIVITY AND ACCESS TO MARKETS. MY GOVERNMENT RECOGNISES THAT ACHIEVING THIS DEVELOPMENT REQUIRES CONCERTED EFFORT AND COMMITMENT OF ALL STAKEHOLDERS.

I WOULD, THEREFORE, LIKE TO URGE ALL STAKEHOLDERS TO WORK WITH GOVERNMENT IN REALISING THIS DEVELOPMENT FOR THE BENEFIT OF OUR COMMUNITIES. FOR THOSE DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE VARIOUS PROJECTS ON THE GROUND, THERE IS NO TIME FOR BICKERING OR POLITICKING BUT TO WORK TOGETHER AND DELIVER RESULTS FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PEOPLE WE ALL SERVE. AS WE DO THIS, WE WILL, CERTAINLY, ACHIEVE OUR MOTTO OF “NOT LEAVING ANYONE BEHIND.”

13 | P a g e

MAY I TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK OUR COOPERATING PARTNERS, PARTICULARLY, THE WORLD BANK AND AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK FOR THEIR CONTINUED SUPPORT TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF VARIOUS INTERVENTIONS OVER THE YEARS. YOUR SUPPORT HAS, AND WILL CONTINUE TO IMPACT POSITIVELY ON THE WELL BEING OF ZAMBIANS, ESPECIALLY, THE MARGINALISED MEMBERS OF OUR SOCIETY.

I THANK YOU ALL. GOD BLESS YOU AND GOD BLESS MOTHER ZAMBIA.

14 | P a g e