MARGARET CHISANGA
Lusaka
MINISTRY of Water Development and Sanitation Permanent Secretary, Romas Kamanga says partnerships are essential in ensuring the protection of water catchment areas from the effects of climate change.
Eng Kamanga was speaking in Lusaka when he officiated at the signing of a commitment understanding between the European Union, Germany and Sweden, and three private sector organisations to restore and protect water catchments and their ecosystem and enhance sustainable value chains in Zambia’s Lower Kafue Sub-Catchment (LKSC).
Under the Integrated Water Catchment Management and Landscape Protection in Zambia (AWARE 2.0) project in Lusaka, the EU, Germany and Sweden signed their commitment to work with three different private sector companies. These are Forest Africa, Nature’s Nectar and Zambian Breweries.
In a statement released by the GIZ Water and Energy Cluster, The LKSC remains one of Zambia’s most strategic water sources, supporting agriculture, energy production, and domestic water supply, especially for the capital, Lusaka.
‘‘However, the catchment continues to face increasing environmental pressure from climate change and agricultural expansion, urbanisation, and deforestation,” the statement read.
This has resulted in significant land degradation, increased vulnerability to climate-related shocks such as droughts and floods, placing both livelihoods and economic productivity in the catchment at risk.
Funded by the European Union, Germany, and Sweden as part of the EU’s Green Nexus Programme, and implemented by GIZ, AWARE 2.0, addresses these challenges by promoting integrated approaches for ecosystem restoration and protection.
As part of it, AWARE 2.0 is mobilizing resources through integrated Partnerships with the private sector (iDPPs), cooperation agreements which bring together resources from the private sector and development cooperation to jointly promote the restoration and protection of ecosystem and providing alternative livelihoods and income opportunities for local communities.
The foreseen cooperation agreements with three private sector companies are the result of a competitive Call for Proposals which took place last year.
Forest Africa Ltd will implement a programme focused on sustainable agroforestry and the wild fruit value chain in Monze and Mazabuka districts. The initiative aims to reduce pressure on ecosystems, promote the protection of indigenous trees, and create income opportunities for approximately 500 rural households, with at least 70 percent participation from women.
Nature’s Nectar will establish a sustainable beekeeping scheme in Central Province within the LKSC. The intervention is expected to support at least 200 farmers—at least half of them women—while contributing to the protection of approximately 2,000 hectares of forest through incentivised conservation.
The partnership with Zambian Breweries aims to sustainably scale up integrated landscape restoration models—specifically Farmer-Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR), soil and water conservation, and community-led tree seedling nurseries—while strengthening regenerative agriculture practices, thereby improving ecosystem resilience, water security, and livelihoods for communities
