The Urban Development Research Program observes that Zambia has been characterized by rapid urban population growth with inadequate essential infrastructure and services, high levels of unemployment and poverty. Addressing these urban challenges requires the generation of scientific evidence on which interventions urban governance, planning and management systems can be based. However, such required research efforts are hampered by inadequate funding and human resources capacity. Urban governance, planning and management are among the key areas needing evidence based interventions. The literature has shown unveiled deficits in housing, water and sanitation against rapid population growth and increasing urban poverty. The adverse situation in the urban areas is exemplified by equally appalling statistics, such as only 33% of urban households having access to safe sanitation, and 44 percent of residents in peri-urban areas having access to safe water supply, and less than 20 percent having access to satisfactory sanitation facilities.
A good living environment is an important pre-requisite to national economic development and human wellbeing, therefore good housing is a basic social need and human right after food and clothing. Inadequacy in the provision of housing, has negative impacts on welfare and dignity, the environment, and economic performance. Zambia has had a housing deficit since independence, worsened by the persistent rural-urban migration. This resulted from the historically skewed development between rural and urban areas. The situation was compounded by the lack of a comprehensive housing policy to guide the provision of housing up until 1996. Access to land for development is another challenge to urban development; this is mainly due to the inappropriate land tenure system characterised by centralised procedures and administrative hurdles. the following are the priority areas of research:
- Migration, urbanisation and urban population dynamics,
- Urbanisation, planning and housing in Zambia
- Informal Settlements and upgrading
- Urban Sustainability and resilience, Urban Services and Infrastructure
- Informality and the Informal Economy
- Spatial and land use planning
- Regional Planning and Rural urban linkages
- Urban Poverty, Governance, governability and decentralisation
