High cost of living worries JCTR

High cost of living worries JCTR
By Maluba Jere
Tuesday July 15, 2008 [04:00]

THE high cost of living without commensurate rise in household incomes will adversely affect the capacity of households to meet basic needs particularly the food items, Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflections (JCTR) has stated. According to their Basic Needs Basket for June (BNB), JCTR stated that the subsequent hike in transport fees was likely to lead to a spiral increase in the cost of essential food and non-food items.

"It is not by accident that the first of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) is to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger," JCTR stated. "Food is the most basic of human needs and therefore hunger is a subject that cannot be ignored.

We consider this particularly important as this year 2008 marks the midpoint between the Millennium Declaration 2000 and the 2015 deadline."
JCTR stated that the increased revenues derived from the mines must be utilised wisely if the country was to meet the MDGs.

"As Zambia moves closer to the MDG target date, the increased revenues currently being derived from the mines must be utilised wisely if we are to genuinely meet the MDGs by 2015," JCTR stated.

"A three pronged approach to meeting these goals is required: first, there should be increased investments in human development such as education and health to enable more people to effectively participate in economic development; second, the process of rural development should be well managed and the starting point is to make it profitable for farmers to increase their productivity; and third, increasing government expenditure on social security, particularly cash transfers, will make a significant difference in the lives of the poor."

It further observed that the intermittent rise in food prices was further influenced by the unprecedented rise in oil prices.

JCTR social conditions assistant coordinator Minver Chibuye also stated that the poor performance of MDG one had a potential to negatively affect education, health and the general welfare of the nation.

Chibuye stated that according to the JCTR Rural Basket survey, most households consumed less than the recommended 2400 calories per person per day.
"The findings indicate that average calorie intake per person per day for Saka Area in Masaiti district was 1400 calories in April," she stated. "Matushi in Mufumbwe district recorded 1600, while Malama Area in Mambwe district recorded an average of 1300 calories per person per day, both falling short of the 2400 calories mark."
Chibuye further stated that lack of realisation of the fundamental need to provide food to every person was a denial of the inherent dignity of all.

"Every human being desires to lead a standard of life worth of adequate and nutritious food," stated Chibuye. "Therefore, lack of realisation of this fundamental need is a denial of the inherent dignity of each one of us. It is a denial of social justice."

The JCTR Urban Basic Needs Basket for the month of June has shown a gradual price increase in food items such as mealie-meal and cooking oil. A significant increase of K21,600 was seen in the price of dry fish, which rose from K53,400 to K75,000. Nominal increases were recorded in all the other food items except for sugar, which significantly reduced by K2,900 from K8,300 in May to K5,400 in June. The total for the June BNB was K1,941,350, from May's K1,931,350, an increase of K10, 000. The total for food items alone was K748,450.