The government says it has supported over 499,000 households across the country with inputs under the 2024 Food Security Pack (FSP) programme.

Ministry of Community Development and Social Services Permanent Secretary Angela Kawandami says beneficiaries were supported with inputs under the alternative livelihoods, rain fed and wetland cropping programmes.

Ms Kawandami revealed that 340,000 households were supported under the wetland cropping programme while 150,000 households were supported under the rain fed cropping.

She added that over 7,000 were supported under the alternative livelihood intervention.

The Permanent Secretary said this when she officially handed over Agricultural equipment to twelve Community Welfare Assistance Committees CWACS in Lupososhi District which were procured using recoveries from the FSP programme.

“The equipment we are handing over today were procured using pay backs from the food security pack which the Ministry of Community development is implementing under the department of community development,” she explained.

She explained that beneficiaries of the FSP programme are expected to pay back part of the produce to the government after a successful harvest.

“The support given to the beneficiaries is not intended as a completely free handout but rather a conditional grant to stimulate a sense of care for the equally poor and vulnerable households in the communities, this is why beneficiaries pay back a certain percentage,” he added.

Ms Kawandami said the government is now shifting its focus to mechanized agriculture to increase national food security.

And Lupososhi District Commissioner Simon Mwenya said in 2024 the Ministry distributed farming inputs valued at K133, 000 through the recoveries fund.

“In the year 2025, we hope to scale up the value of community projects as can be seen today through this ceremony where we are handing over agriculture equipment to the beneficiaries,” he said.

Meanwhile, Chieftainess Chungu of the Abena Mukulu people in Lupososhi District commended the government for the various interventions to reduce household poverty.

She said these social protection programmes have helped to improve the living standards of vulnerable households in the country.