Minister of National Development Planning Alexander Chiteme has called on government institutions and the private sector to work with his ministry to achieve goals set out in the 7th National Development Plan.

And Chiteme says the Green Climate Fund will benefit small scale farmers from selected districts.

Briefing the press in Lusaka on Wednesday, Chiteme said every Zambian needed to understand the contents of the 7NDP which was a guide to the country’s development targets.

“Given that Zambia like most developing countries faces challenges in mobilizing resources, grant financing and other financings can be viable options to mitigate other financing options. The keen message for this press briefing is to appeal to government ministries, the private sector and other non-state actors to work closely with this ministry with a view of initiating other project proposals which can be financed through the GCF,” Chiteme said.
“Apart from publishing the 7th National Development Plan on hard copy, we have made it available through our website. You can download a copy from our website. We as a ministry are going to translate the most important aspect of the 7th National Development Plan into local languages. We are also going to add drawings for graphics that are going to inform our locals on the 7th National Development Plan. Because it is important, we are going towards a budget system that is going to be developed from the 7th National Development Plan. And as such, we would want every Zambian to understand what the 7th National Development Plan is about and its implementation. So we are on course, very soon we will roll out all those materials so that every Zambian can understand it.”

On the GCF, he said it was imperative that all project proposals target projects and programmes aligned with the 7NDP.

“Preference will be given to projects that will have positive impact on climate change adaptation and mitigation…The agriculture project which was recently approved by the GCF will benefit selected districts in Southern, Central, Lusaka, Eastern and Muchinga provinces and aimed to strengthen the resilience of vulnerable small holder farmers faced with increasing risk to climate change…,” Chiteme said.

He further said renewable energy projects on the other hand would help to catalyze private investment in the energy sector.

“…thereby accelerating the achievement of electricity generation and diversification targets. The projects which encompass three components will also provide direct financing of independent power producers. The additional renewable energy to be produced will go towards producing energy deficits required to stimulate industrial production and increase energy supply in the marginalized rural areas,” said Chiteme.