SPEECH BY THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL FOOD AND NUTRITION COMMISSION (NFNC) DR. MUNTANGA KAMPENGELE MAPANI ON WORLD MILK DAY
DELIVERY DATE: JUNE 1, 2026
VENUE: LUSAKA, ZAMBIA
HONOURABLE MINISTERS PRESENT,
OUR COOPERATING PARTNERS AND CIVIL SOCIETY REPRESENTATIVES,
MEMBERS OF THE DAIRY ASSOCIATION OF ZAMBIA,
OUR RESILIENT SMALLHOLDER AND COMMERCIAL DAIRY FARMERS,
MEMBERS OF THE PRESS,
DISTINGUISHED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
GOOD MORNING
AS ZAMBIA MARKS WORLD MILK DAY 2026, WE LOOK BEYOND THE GLASS OF MILK. THE DAIRY SECTOR IS A POWERHOUSE FOR OUR COUNTRY DRIVING SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE, BOOSTING ECONOMIC GROWTH, AND DIRECTLY NOURISHING THE HEALTH OF OUR NATION.
THIS YEAR’S GLOBAL THEME, “CELEBRATING WOMEN FARMERS,” SPEAKS TO THE REALITY WE SEE IN OUR RURAL COMMUNITIES TODAY. IT IS THE GRANDMOTHERS, MOTHERS, SISTERS AND DAUGHTERS WHO MOSTLY LOOK AFTER FAMILIES AND TEND THE LIVESTOCK, MILK, THE COWS AND ULTIMATELY DECIDE WHAT THE FAMILY EATS ON A DAILY BASIS.
THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE THE BACKBONE OF OUR RURAL ECONOMY.
WHEN WE INVEST IN A WOMAN DAIRY FARMER, WE ARE NOT JUST BOOSTING AN INDUSTRY BUT WE ARE DIRECTLY FUNDING THE NUTRITIONAL SECURITY NOT JUST FOR HER OWN HOUSEHOLD BUT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, AS THE NATIONAL FOOD AND NUTRITION COMMISSION, OUR MANDATE FORCES US TO LOOK CLOSELY AT THE NUMBERS. AND THE NUMBERS TELL US WE HAVE A HUGE TASK AHEAD OF US
ACCORDING TO THE FOOD CONSUMPTION AND MICRONUTRIENT SURVEY CONDUCTED IN 2021, CALCIUM INADEQUACIES AMONGST CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF FIVE WAS AT 97%, ADOLESCENTS GIRLS 100%, PREGNANT WOMEN 100% AND LACTATING WOMEN 100%. THIS GOES TO SHOW HOW LESS WE CONSUME CALCIUM GIVING FOODS OF WHICH MILK IS ONE OF THEM.
THE LOW INTAKE OF MILK DIRECTLY IMPACTS OUR ONGOING FIGHT AGAINST THE TRIPLE BURDEN OF MALNUTRITION.
MILK IS A COMPLETE FOOD WITH ALMOST ALL THE REQUIRED NUTRIENTS FOR BETTER HEALTH. IT PROVIDES HIGH-QUALITY PROTEIN, ESSENTIAL FATTY ACIDS, AND VITAL MICRONUTRIENTS LIKE CALCIUM, VITAMIN D AND ZINC.
FOR A GROWING CHILD IN ZAMBIA A SIMPLE GLASS OF MILK CAN SIGNIFICANTLY CONTRIBUTE TO CHANGING THE OVERALL NUTRITION STATUS AND HELP THEM REACH THEIR FULL COGNITIVE AND PHYSICAL POTENTIAL.
TO CLOSE THIS CONSUMPTION GAP AND ELIMINATE NUTRITIONAL INEQUALITY, THE NFNC IS ADVOCATING FOR:
1. MAKING DAIRY ACCESSIBLE AND AFFORDABLE: WE MUST ADDRESS THE PRODUCTION BOTTLENECKS, BY IMPROVING LOCAL PRODUCTION SYSTEMS AND SUPPORTING OUR SMALLHOLDER FARMERS ESPECIALLY OUR WOMEN FARMERS SO THAT EVERYONE IN OUR COMMUNITIES HAVE ACCESS TO MILK INCLUDING THE LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS.
2. DIVERSIFICATION AND EDUCATION: WE NEED TO MAKE OUR COMMUNITIES REALIZE THAT CONSUMING MILK IS NOT A LUXURY, BUT A NEED FOR THE ENTIRE HOUSEHOLD FOR BETTER NUTRITION. THROUGH AGGRESSIVE PUBLIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGNS,
WE MUST TEACH OUR COMMUNITIES TO PRIORITIZE NUTRIENT-DENSE LOCAL OPTIONS OVER SUGARY, PROCESSED BEVERAGES. SOUR MILK (MABISI), FOR INSTANCE, IS AN INCREDIBLE, CULTURALLY ROOTED SUPERFOOD THAT WE SHOULD CHAMPION FOR ITS PROBIOTIC AND NUTRITIONAL VALUE.
3. INSTITUTIONAL INTEGRATION: THE NFNC HAS BEEN ACTIVELY ENGAGING WITH PARTNERS TO EXPLORE HOW WE CAN BETTER INTEGRATE DAIRY INTO INSTITUTIONAL FEEDING PROGRAMS, CURRENTLY AM VERY EXCITED THAT THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION HAS INCLUDED MILK AS PART OF THE FOOD GIVEN TO ALL LEARNERS UNDER THE HOME GROWN SCHOOL FEEDING PROGRAMME THIS WILL ENSURE OUR CHILDREN GET AT LEAST ONE PORTION OF DAIRY EVERYDAY.
DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, SOLVING ZAMBIA’S NUTRITION CHALLENGES REQUIRES JOINT ACTIONS.
TO OUR DAIRY PROCESSORS: WE CHALLENGE YOU TO FLOOD THE MARKET WITH MILK AND BRING IT CLOSER TO AN ORDINARY ZAMBIAN SO THAT EVERY HOUSEHOLD SHOULD HAVE ACCESS.
TO THE MEDIA PRESENT TODAY: WE COUNT ON YOU AS OUR CORE PARTNERS TO CARRY THIS MESSAGE FORWARD. HELP US EDUCATE THE PUBLIC THAT INVESTING IN MILK IS INVESTING IN THE BRAINPOWER AND PHYSICAL HEALTH OF THE NEXT GENERATION.
AND FINALLY, TO THE HARD-WORKING EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN FARMERS ACROSS OUR COMMUNITIES WHO WAKE UP BEFORE DAWN TO TEND TO THE DAIRY HERDS: WE SALUTE YOU, KEEP DOING WHAT YOU DO FOR THE BETTERMENT OF OUR ECONOMY, FOR YOU ARE THE TRUE BACKBONE OF OUR FOOD SYSTEM.
AS WE CELEBRATE THIS DAY, LET US COMMIT TO A FUTURE WHERE EVERY ZAMBIAN CHILD HAS ACCESS TO THE NOURISHMENT THEY NEED TO GROW STRONG, HEALTHY, AND SMART.
THANK YOU, AND MAY GOD BLESS OUR NATION.
……………………..ENDS……………………………….
