A Thriving Economy With or Without Rain
I was reading an article this morning in one of the newspapers where Chief Government Spokesperson, Honourable Cornelius Mweetwa announced to the nation that the state of National Disaster and Emergency has been extended owing to the current dry spell. The hopes of Zambians were for a more favourable rain season, compared to the last year’s which was characterized by the El-Nino weather phenomenon. According to forecasts, most parts of the country are to receive normal to above normal rainfall in 2024 to 2025. The persistence of dry spells, however, particularly this December, has put into question these projections. What will a second consecutive failed rain season mean for the Zambian economy? Do we have the capacity to withstand such successive shocks? How do we adapt to climatic variations and ensure economic growth in spite of them? Every Zambian can attest to the hardships of 2024. Power generation has been severely disrupted due to depleted water reservoirs for hydro-power gen...