Maravi

‘Invest in rural communities’

‘Invest in rural communities’
Written by Moses Kuwema in Kapiri Mposhi
Tuesday, April 21, 2009 11:52:11 PM

UNITED Nations Development Programme (UNDP) country director Viola Morgan has advised Zambia to invest in rural communities. During the wrap-up of her tour of Northern Province, Morgan said investing in rural communities would assist the country attain the middle-income status by 2030.

Morgan expressed concern over poverty challenges she observed during her tour and hoped that positive interventions would be put forward.

“I saw a lot of poverty challenges and I think there is need for positive interventions to be put, especially rural electrification for the community,” Morgan said.

She said the majority of women-headed households, adding that interventions should not be taken in a blanket approach to address the problems facing rural communities.

Morgan further said she was impressed with the agriculture produce in places where she had toured, adding that Zambia was able to feed itself.

“Zambia can feed itself and others, so there is need for diversification of the economy, processing some of the things you have. What is needed is just small low cost technology. This will help turn the production of these communities into industries,” she said.

Morgan further said the Zambia Bureau of Standards (ZABS) should work closely with rural communities in order to develop industries.

She said the UNDP-supported project in Mpika called the Realisation and Effective Management of the National Protected Areas Systems (REMNPAS) was a model public private partnerships (PPPs) which could not be found anywhere.

Morgan said the project which involved traditional leaders could also be repricated elsewhere as it enabled communities to have a say in their land.

Labels: UNDP, VIOLA MORGAN

posted by MrK @ 10:53 PM