• Zambia

  

• Population

  16.6 Million

• Pop. Under 5

  2.8 Million

• % Stunting

  40% Of Children Under 5

• % Underweight

  15% Of Children Under 5

Photo credit: Chando Mapoma, USAID

Malnutrition in childhood and pregnancy has many adverse consequences for child survival and long-term well-being. It also has far-reaching consequences for human capital, economic productivity, and national development overall. The consequences of malnutrition should be a significant concern for policy makers in Zambia, where 1.12 million children (40 percent) under 5 years suffer from chronic malnutrition (stunting or low height-for-age) and 420,000 children (15 percent) under 5 years suffer from acute malnutrition (wasting or low weight-for-height), according to the most recent Demographic and Health Survey (DHS).

USAID Programs: Accelerating Progress in Nutrition

As of January 2018, the following USAID programs were active in Zambia. Feed the Future, the U.S. Government’s global hunger and food security initiative, emphasizes agriculture as a driver of economic growth through a strategy that encompasses five core investment areas: agriculture, nutrition, policy, infrastructure, and institutional capacity. In Zambia, Feed the Future programs are being implemented in Eastern Province, with a value chain focus on oilseeds, legumes, and maize, and in selected peri-urban districts near Lusaka that connect to Eastern Province, with a focus on horticulture.

• Scaling Up Nutrition Technical Assistance (TA)
• Scaling Up Nutrition Learning and Evaluation (LE)
• Systems for Better Health Program
• Partnering for Innovation
• Development Credit Authority (DCA)
• Africa Rising

For more information, read the Zambia country profile [PDF, 230KB].