We are pleased to share with you the JCTR Basic Needs and Nutrition Basket (BNNB) reports for all 16 towns and its accompanying statement for the month of June 2020. Over the last three decades, the JCTR has been consistently monitoring the cost of living in Zambia. The information generated in our monthly surveys, is critical in building the development capacities of key stakeholders to inclusively and effectively dialogue on issues affecting the lives of Zambians for the purpose of informing practical change.

DIET DIVERSIFICATION AT INDIVIDUAL AND HOUSEHOLD LEVELHouseholds can ;

1. Plan meals; This allows for more time to incorporate nutritious food in meals.
2. Cook at Home; one can gain the benefit of knowing what exactly is in their food
3. Develop a habit of buying local indigenous foods
4. Stop buying fast foods.
5. Produce that is in season is typically cheaper and more nutritious.
6. Grow your own produce by simply starting with a small garden

IMPROVED KNOWLEDGE AND EDUCATION ON PREVENTION AND CONTROL FOR POLICY MAKERS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC

Integrating health and nutrition education into lessons, meals, and gardening activities promotes healthy habits such as dietary diversity, food and water safety, food processing, nutrient preservation, sanitation, and hygiene.

PROMOTION OF THE PRODUCTION OF LOCAL FRUIT AND VEGETABLES

Fruits and vegetables constitute a key component of what a nutritious diet should comprise. Both small and large scale local production of these foods would therefore greatly contribute to enhancing availability and affordability.

DELIBERATE GOVERNMENT INTERVENTIONS AND POLICY NEED TO BE OPERATIONALISED TO PROMOTE COST EFFECTIVE HEALTHY FOOD PRODUCTION.

Investment in line with government policy on economic diversification through the taxation regime like low or no duty on importation of farmer inputs for fruits. Funding opportunities towards entrepreneur activities that will support slicing, packaging, canning, and dicing, and production of juice, sauces and preservatives may prove useful. Additionally, one area for potential opportunity lies in private-public partnerships with tax incentives in the area of production or processing of horticulture products.

DIVERSIFYING AND PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES REMAINS IMPERATIVE AS NUTRITION IS BEING THREATENED BY CLIMATE CHANGE EVEN IN ZAMBIA.
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Without action, climate change will negatively impact nutrition through decreased food quantity and access, decreased dietary diversity, and decreased food nutritional content. What we need is climate-smart and nutrition-sensitive food systems in order to ensure that mitigation and adaptation strategies take nutrition into account.

Accessing Affordable NutritionDIET DIVERSIFICATION AT INDIVIDUAL AND HOUSEHOLD LEVELHouseholds can ;

1. Plan meals; This allows for more time to incorporate nutritious food in meals.
2. Cook at Home; one can gain the benefit of knowing what exactly is in their food
3. Develop a habit of buying local indigenous foods
4. Stop buying fast foods.
5. Produce that is in season is typically cheaper and more nutritious.
6. Grow your own produce by simply starting with a small garden

IMPROVED KNOWLEDGE AND EDUCATION ON PREVENTION AND CONTROL FOR POLICY MAKERS AND THE GENERAL PUBLICIntegrating health and nutrition education into lessons, meals, and gardening activities promotes healthy habits such as dietary diversity, food and water safety, food processing, nutrient preservation, sanitation, and hygiene.
PROMOTION OF THE PRODUCTION OF LOCAL FRUIT AND VEGETABLESFruits and vegetables constitute a key component of what a nutritious diet should comprise. Both small and large scale local production of these foods would therefore greatly contribute to enhancing availability and affordability.
DELIBERATE GOVERNMENT INTERVENTIONS AND POLICY NEED TO BE OPERATIONALISED TO PROMOTE COST EFFECTIVE HEALTHY FOOD PRODUCTION.Investment in line with government policy on economic diversification through the taxation regime like low or no duty on importation of farmer inputs for fruits. Funding opportunities towards entrepreneur activities that will support slicing, packaging, canning, and dicing, and production of juice, sauces and preservatives may prove useful. Additionally, one area for potential opportunity lies in private-public partnerships with tax incentives in the area of production or processing of horticulture products.
DIVERSIFYING AND PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES REMAINS IMPERATIVE AS NUTRITION IS BEING THREATENED BY CLIMATE CHANGE EVEN IN ZAMBIA.Without action, climate change will negatively impact nutrition through decreased food quantity and access, decreased dietary diversity, and decreased food nutritional content. What we need is climate-smart and nutrition-sensitive food systems in order to ensure that mitigation and adaptation strategies take nutrition into account.

​The Basic Needs and Nutrition Basket (BNNB) tracks the costs of food and non-food items in order to assess the cost of living for the average family size of five members as estimated by the Zambia Statistics Agency (ZamStats).
On a monthly basis, prices of selected food and non-food items are collected, analysed and disseminated to the public. Information generated from the BNNB has been used in various ways. These include; exposing the plight of the poor, monitoring effectiveness of government policies, wage negotiations, budgeting at individual and household level, promoting diet diversity at individual, household and national level.
Individuals are able to utilise the BNNB as a listed description of nutritious food items that they can tailor in coming up with meal plans.
The food items constituted in the basket promote the need for families to consume nutritious food items that are beneficial and cardinal for one to live a good and healthy life.
Healthy and nutritious diets are based on various key principles, including the consumption of a variety of whole grains, legumes, fruits and vegetables. It is also important to realise that there is no blueprint for a nutritious diet. An appropriate diet depends on the culture and food habits of a particular population. Affordability, accessibility and availability of foods also play a role in determining the diet.

​Various food items listed in the Basic Needs and Nutrition Basket (BNNB) compiled by the Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR) are the recommended source of nutrients that need to be consumed by a family of five on a monthly basis to meet their basic dietary needs and indeed eliminate the challenges associated with malnutrition.
The nutrition situation in Zambia remains of high concern and a threat to the national economy. Zambia continues to rank poorly at a global level on food security and nutrition. Evidently, there is an urgent need for the country to ensure that this situation is addressed.
There is need to prioritize resource allocation to reflect policy strategies if food security and malnutrition are to be addressed.  It is clear that conditions and factors impacting the nutrition status are evolving. Therefore, adaptation to the changing environment is vital to help build the resilience of the vulnerable and poor segments of the population, especially in rural areas. The effects of climate change and variability such as flash floods and prolonged dry-spells in high food production areas continue to threaten food availability.
This change negatively affects the rural agricultural households by lowering their harvest, income, and consequently food and nutrition access.
There’s need to communicate and particularly foster behavioral change in regards dietary habits and preferences.
More sensitization and awareness raising needs to be done particularly on local and traditional foods and their nutritional values. The value of home cooked meals needs more emphasis in order to discourage the culture of fast foods.