JCTR BASIC NEEDS BASKET COSTING K1,014,500 IN THE MONTH OF AUGUST

September 2003

The Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR) compiles the Basic Needs Basket for a family of six in Lusaka every month.  This is an effort aimed at giving a picture of the struggle confronting households in meeting their daily essential needs.  The Basic Needs Basket shows the relationship between household incomes and requirements for basic human survival.  It highlights the cost of food and essential non-food items.

According to estimates of the cost of the Basic Needs Basket for the month of August, the total cost of food and essential non-food items is K1,014,500.  Food only, that is, mealie meal, beans, kapenta, vegetables, bread, eggs, sugar, etc., is costing K367,700.  The cost of food only has gone up by K10,500 from the July cost of K357,200.  Upward adjustments have been recorded in the cost of beans, meat, dry fish, etc.  The cost of mealie meal has slightly gone up from K27,000 in July to the current figure of K27,600.

The cost of essential non-food items such as charcoal, wash and bath soap, jelly, energy, etc., has been recorded at K646,800.  The cost of essential non-food items in July were recorded at K648,200.  There has been a slight reduction for the month of August of K1,400, on account of a downward adjustment in the cost of charcoal.  Other items such as wash soap, jelly (e.g., vaseline) have recorded some increases.