President HH’s Government Launches Nutrition Cash Pilot

The Government has launched a Nutrition-Sensitive Cash Top-Up Pilot under the Social Cash Transfer Programme to help reduce child malnutrition and improve nutrition among vulnerable households.

The pilot will be implemented in Chibombo, Monze, Mumbwa and Kawambwa, where around 25,000 eligible households will receive an additional K200 alongside their regular Social Cash Transfer payments. Standard households will now receive K1,000, while households with persons with disabilities will receive K1,400.

Ministry of Community Development and Social Services Principal Public Relations Officer Glenda Nachinga said the four districts were selected because they have high levels of malnutrition and child stunting. She explained that the additional support is intended to help families purchase more nutritious food for children under the age of two, as well as pregnant and breastfeeding women. Ms Nachinga also clarified that only households already enrolled in the Social Cash Transfer Programme are eligible for the top-up.

The programme is being implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Health, which will provide nutrition counselling, education and treatment for malnutrition. The initiative forms part of the Government's wider efforts to reduce the national stunting rate from 32% to 15% by 2030, while strengthening social protection and improving health outcomes for vulnerable families.