ZAMBEZI ADMIT Enhancing climate resilience and mitigation potential of ecosystems and local communities in the Headwaters of the Zambezi River (Zambia’s North-Western province)

The ZAMBEZI ADMIT project is a proposed USD 50 million initiative (requesting USD 30 million from the Green Climate Fund) to address high deforestation rates and climate vulnerability in Zambia's North-Western province. The project focuses on the 'forest-water-climate nexus,' targeting five districts: Mwinilunga, Ikelenge, Kapombo, Manyinga, and Kalumbila. It seeks to reduce GHG emissions by 10.4 million tCO2eq over 20 years by sustainably managing 100,000 ha of forests, restoring 10,000 ha, and establishing 2,000 ha of agroforestry. The project aims to benefit 225,000 people by diversifying livelihoods away from unsustainable charcoal production and rain-fed agriculture. Key components include the establishment of Community Forest Management Groups (CFMGs), the development of non-wood forest product value chains, and the mobilization of diverse finance sources, including payments for environmental services (PES) from ZESCO and the development of a jurisdictional REDD+ program.

• Zambia faces significant climate vulnerability and forest loss, with an estimated annual deforestation rate of 192,000 hectares per year, which increases the country's vulnerability and contributes to climate change.
• The project targets the headwaters of the Zambezi River in the North-Western province, specifically the districts of Mwinilunga, Ikelenge, Kapombo, Manyinga, and Kalumbila, due to their high carbon density and vital role in the wider watershed.
• The project aims to achieve a total mitigation impact of 10.4 million tCO2eq over its 20-year lifespan by halting forest loss and implementing sustainable management and restoration.
• Adaptation efforts will target 225,000 direct beneficiaries (approximately 37,500 households), representing 40% of the rural population in the targeted districts, by diversifying livelihoods and reducing dependency on climate-sensitive agriculture.
• The project will implement a community-led forestry model, aiming to sustainably manage 100,000 ha of community forests, restore 10,000 ha of forest landscapes, and establish 2,000 ha of agroforestry systems.
• A critical component of the project is the 'forest-water-climate nexus,' recognizing that protecting headwater forests stabilizes water flows and reduces sedimentation in the Kariba hydroelectric station, which is essential for Zambia's hydropower-dependent energy sector.
• The project seeks to break a 'vicious cycle of maladaptation' where crop failures lead rural populations to intensify unsustainable charcoal production, further degrading the forests that provide essential water regulation and wild foods.
• Financial sustainability will be pursued through multiple streams, including the development of a jurisdictional REDD+ program for carbon credits and payments for environmental services (PES) from the state-owned power company ZESCO.
• The project will address gender inequality by adopting a gender-responsive approach to ensure women, who are often the most financially excluded and hardest hit by climate change, benefit equitably from forest-based businesses and governance roles.
• The total indicative cost of the project is USD 50 million, with USD 30 million requested as a grant from the Green Climate Fund and USD 20 million in co-financing.

APA

Green Climate Fund (2022). ZAMBEZI ADMIT Enhancing climate resilience and mitigation potential of ecosystems and local communities in the Headwaters of the Zambezi River (Zambia’s North-Western province). https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/28720-enhancing-climate-resilience-and-mitigation-potential-ecosystems-and-local-communities.pdf

Chicago

Green Climate Fund. ZAMBEZI ADMIT Enhancing climate resilience and mitigation potential of ecosystems and local communities in the Headwaters of the Zambezi River (Zambia’s North-Western province). 2022. https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/28720-enhancing-climate-resilience-and-mitigation-potential-ecosystems-and-local-communities.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Green Climate Fund |title=ZAMBEZI ADMIT Enhancing climate resilience and mitigation potential of ecosystems and local communities in the Headwaters of the Zambezi River (Zambia’s North-Western province) |date=1 December 2022 |url=https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/28720-enhancing-climate-resilience-and-mitigation-potential-ecosystems-and-local-communities.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{greenclimatefund2022zambezi, author = {{Green Climate Fund}}, title = {{ZAMBEZI ADMIT Enhancing climate resilience and mitigation potential of ecosystems and local communities in the Headwaters of the Zambezi River (Zambia’s North-Western province)}}, institution = {Green Climate Fund}, year = {2022}, month = dec, url = {https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/28720-enhancing-climate-resilience-and-mitigation-potential-ecosystems-and-local-communities.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }