THE Lusaka City Council (LCC) in conjunction with Consumer Unity Trust Society (CUTS), has launched the Lusaka Food Security initiative to promote strengthening of food systems in the city.

The Food Security Initiative is a policy document that highlights the challenges in the food system and provides solutions through its operational plan to be housed under the LCC.

Speaking during the launch in Lusaka, LCC Town Clerk Alex Mwansa said the Council remained committed to addressing food challenges in the city.

“The LCC is keenly interested in addressing issues that affect our city and food is one of the key areas we have been targeting our efforts. The Council has committed to working on food systems issues by signing up to international agreements, such as the Milan Urban Food Policy Pact, through my office. In this agreement, we have committed that we do our part in relation to food systems, but we coordinate the various efforts of our cooperating partners on food issues in the city. In this vein, we have been working hand-in-hand with partners, such as CUTS and Hivos on implementing initiatives that seek to address the challenges that we are facing in our city’s food system,” said Mwansa.

Speaking at the same event, Hivos sustainability manager for southern Africa William Chilufya said there was need for government, through the National Food and Nutrition Commission, to establish a much-needed national food and nutrition policy which Zambia lacked for four years.

He added that the launch of the document was the beginning of change in the way people responded towards the need for sustainable diets.

Meanwhile, National Food Policy Council chairperson Dr Stella Mungaila said CSOs who call out government on the need for change in the implementation of the development agenda, were backed by the Seventh National Development Plan and should not be looked at as being “sponsored by the opposition.”