ACTION AID HAUNTED BY ESCALATING POVERYTY AMID ACCLAIMED MAIZE BUMPER HARVESTS

Action Aid Zambia is concerned over the non-correlation of the recorded maize bumper harvests and the obtaining poverty levels in the country.

Action Aid Zambia Country Director, Pamela Chisanga has expressed her concern at a 3-day mon-state actors consultation workshop in Lusaka.

And Ms Chisanga says despite Zambia being a signatory to the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme, allocations to the agriculture sector have continued to reduce.

The CAADP program requires all signatories to allocate at least 10 percent of their national budget towards the agriculture sector.

Meanwhile, the World Bank has called for consistency in economic growth on the African continent in order to facilitate poverty reduction.

The bank says an average of 7 percent growth can help achieve the set targets.

World Bank Vice President for Africa region, Obiageli Ezekwisili has since said Africa must shift from mono-cultural economic growth through diversification.

She has also noted the need to implement recommendations outlined in the 2011 World Bank strategy, which seeks to foster job creation and competitiveness.

Ms Ezekwisili has further stated that the strategy’s overall objective is fostering increased investment.

She was speaking from Nigeria with African journalists on the topic Role of the Media in Development, through video conference.