…2.5 million households to receive K5.2 billion social cash transfer support
The government has proposed to spend an additional K41.9 billion for the 2024 fiscal year because of the severe drought that has hit the country and adversely affected nearly 48% of the population with food insecurity.
During the presentation of the supplementary budget to the National Assembly, Minister of Finance, Dr. Situmbeko Musokotwane, underscored the government’s commitment by dedicating a substantial K8.3 billion (19.8%) of the revised budget to the drought response interventions. This significant allocation is aimed at providing life-saving and early recovery assistance to the affected people.
Out of this, 62.7% (K5.2 billion) will be allocated to the social cash transfer (SCT) program, to cover 1.3 million already enrolled households and another 1.2 million severely drought-affected households. This brings the number of households under the expanded SCT bracket for the emergency period to 2.5 million.
“This allocation of the Social Cash Transfer Program will facilitate a top-up of K200 to all the 1.3 million households already enrolled in the existing Social Cash Transfer Program. This top-up of K200 will ensure that recipients under the existing program receive a total amount of K400 per month,” Situmbeko explained.
He stated that this aimed to alleviate the impact of high food prices among the vulnerable population during the drought response period, which is expected to run until June 2025.
Further, Musokotwane said the government recognizes that the drought has impacted more than the 2.5 million households being assisted through the SCT as the drought has brought hunger even to the able-bodied, some of whom lost most of their crops.
He said these citizens could improve their livelihoods if given a chance to work. Hence, “to assist this category of the affected but viable population, the government has proposed to implement a “Cash for Work Programme” for which an initial amount of K2 billion has been allocated.”
Musokotwane stated that this figure was expected to increase to K3.8 billion in 2024 alone after financing procedures and processes are finalized with cooperating partners.
People engaged in the Cash for Work program will undertake various public works, including road maintenance, side road vegetation control, drainage and canal clearing, garbage collection, and general public area cleaning, among other public works to be offered strictly to drought-affected citizens who are not on any government assistance program to avoid “double-dipping and ensure that the available resources go to help as many affected families as possible”.
Musokotwane noted that by putting cash in the pockets of those affected by drought through social cash transfers or cash for work, the recipients will be able to buy maize and other foodstuff.
He acknowledged that even if people get cash, other challenges, such as the unavailability of maize grain, may prevent them from buying the grain. “To mitigate against this risk” he said, “the FRA will be positioning maize every month in all the affected wards to so that they [people] may buy it close to where they reside.”
