NEWSLINE

  On a sunny day of October 13, 2023, I roamed the grounds to catch a glimpse of the displays put forth by farmers at the 2023 Zambian Traditional Seed and Food Festival, which took place at Mundawanga in Chilanga District recently. As a first-time attendee of the event, I moved from one stand to another, admiring the variety of local foods produced by Zambian farmers. As I was about to explore another stand, my attention was caught by a woman inquiring at one of the stands about the availability of Millet and Sorghum. She was eager to purchase these grains for consumption. As a journalist who has been actively covering stories related to the escalating cost of mealie meal, and with my basic knowledge of how Millet and Sorghum can serve as substitutes for maize grain in mealie meal production, my journalistic instincts drove me to conduct further inquiries as I was eager to understand why she was so eager to procure these two crops. Before delving into a formal conversation with her, I

The Zambia Social Forum-ZAMSOF has held its 11th edition of the National Social Forum under the theme “Building a sustainable future through stewardship and inclusive governance” with a call on the youth to actively engage in matters related to governance. Speaking during the annual event held in Lusaka today at the Civic Centre Nakatindi Wall, Zambia Social Forum Guardian, Sera Longwe, a prominent gender activist, encouraged young people to speak out and make demands regarding their needs,futher emphasizing the importance of taking action rather than relying on government’s intervention. The National Social Forum is held as a run-up to the World Social Forum that takes every two years. Therefore, the next World Social Forum will be held in Nepal in February 2024. Ms. Longwe emphasized that young people should proactively voice their needs to those responsible for managing the nationals affairs as this is essential for achieving inclusive and sustainable development in the country. “So