The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has received a contribution from the Government of the People’s Republic of China to locally procure over 5,600 metric tonnes of maize to provide food assistance to drought-affected communities in Zambia. Through China’s Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund, the support will enable WFP to purchase maize from local markets and assist nearly 190,000 vulnerable people, representing over 37,000 families, across six districts in Zambia’s Southern and Western provinces for three months.
Cissy Kabasuuga, WFP Country Director and Representative in Zambia, expressed gratitude to China for the timely contribution, emphasizing that the support will help save lives, promote nutrition, and stabilize access to food for the communities most affected by the drought. WFP plans to work closely with the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit, provincial authorities, and local leaders to ensure that assistance is distributed transparently and prioritizes families with children, women-headed households, persons with disabilities, and those who suffered significant crop losses.
The Ambassador of China to Zambia, Han Jing, highlighted China’s continued partnership with Zambia, noting that the contribution will support vulnerable communities, reinforce local markets, and strengthen food security and humanitarian relief efforts. Local procurement is expected to benefit surplus-producing areas, support smallholder farmers, and boost market linkages following the 2025 harvest.
Zambian Vice-President Dr. W.K. Mutale Nalumango described the support as a crucial lifeline for communities facing exceptional need, underscoring that the contribution reinforces Zambia–China cooperation across multiple sectors, including infrastructure, health, education, agriculture, trade, and people-to-people ties. Despite an improved harvest after the 2023/2024 El Niño-induced drought, several districts continue to face prolonged dry spells, limited purchasing power, and food insecurity during the peak of the lean season.
