PEOPLE’S ECONOMICS: PRODUCTIVITY AS THE SECRET THAT MAKES NATIONS RICH
Every Zambian wants higher incomes, more jobs, better hospitals, quality schools and improved roads, but where does the money to achieve all this come from? The answer is simple. It’s productivity.
Productivity is the amount of goods or services produced from the resources we have. In simple terms, it means producing more with the same effort, or producing the same amount with less waste. The more productive a person, a family, a business or a country becomes, the wealthier they become over time.
Imagine two families, each with a one hectare farm. Family A harvests 20 bags of maize, while Family B harvests 50 bags from the same size of land because they used better seed, fertiliser, irrigation and worked more efficiently. Both families had the same land, but one produced much more. That is productivity. Family B will earn more, eat better, educate its children more easily and invest in the next farming season. Productivity improves lives.
The same principle applies to a nation. Zambia’s economy is simply the combined effort of millions of workers, farmers, miners, teachers, entrepreneurs and companies. When they produce more goods and services, businesses expand, exports increase, tax revenues rise, more jobs are created and living standards improve. That is why economists say economic growth is driven by productivity.
When an economy contracts (like what happened during the reign of kaponyanomics), it usually means productivity has weakened. Factories produce less. Farms harvest less. Mines export less. Businesses close. Jobs disappear. Government collects less revenue and families struggle. That is why low productivity is never a good sign for any country.
Raising productivity requires discipline and long-term planning. It means investing in reliable electricity, better roads, modern agriculture, education, healthcare, digital technology and a stable economy that gives businesses confidence to invest. These are not overnight achievements. They require consistency, difficult decisions and leaders who stay the course even when those decisions are not immediately popular.
As Zambians, we also have a responsibility. Government creates the environment, but it cannot do all the work for us. Every farmer must produce. Every entrepreneur must innovate. Every worker must give their best. Every student must study diligently. Every public servant must serve honestly. Every citizen must reject the mentality of waiting for someone else to create prosperity.
Patriotism is not only singing the national anthem or waving the national flag. Patriotism is producing. It is paying taxes honestly. It is protecting public property. It is building businesses, creating jobs and adding value to what our country produces. No nation has ever become prosperous by consuming more than it produces. The world’s most successful economies became wealthy because their citizens embraced hard work, innovation and productivity. Zambia can do exactly the same.
This is why the economic progress we are beginning to witness should not be dismissed lightly. A stable economy, growing investor confidence, improving infrastructure and expanding production are the foundations upon which lasting prosperity is built. These achievements require discipline, dedication and consistency from both government and citizens.
The future of Zambia will not be determined by how much we demand. It will be determined by how much we produce.
Zambia Forward, TOGETHER in UNITY.🇿🇲
Saviour Chishimba
President, United Progressive People (UPP)
UPND Alliance Partner