THE KAFUE FLATS CLIMATE RESILIENCE AND ADAPTATION PROJECT ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL SAFEGUARDS FRAMEWORK

The KaF-Adapt project, funded by the Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF), aims to reduce community vulnerability to water scarcity and promote resilient livelihoods in the Kafue Flats of Zambia. Classified as a Category B (medium-risk) project, it implements a comprehensive safeguards framework to manage risks such as resource access restrictions, habitat degradation, and social exclusion. The framework mandates site-specific Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMPs) and Livelihood Restoration Plans (LRPs) for high-risk activities, supported by a dedicated Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) and a joint Project Management Unit (PMU) shared with the sister project, KaF-Wild.

• The KaF-Adapt project is designed to reduce community vulnerability to water scarcity and promote adaptation through resilient livelihood development in the Kafue Flats, covering approximately 1,398,600 hectares.
• The project is classified as Category B under WWF's safeguards, meaning it is a medium-risk project with potential adverse impacts that require a mitigation plan.
• The project area is ecologically critical, supporting 20% of Zambia's national livestock herd, 7% of national fisheries, 40% of sugar production, and 25% of maize production.
• Key environmental threats in the landscape include the rapid spread of the invasive Mimosa pigra plant, deforestation due to human encroachment, and water pollution from sugar production and industrial activities.
• The project identifies several social and environmental risks, including the potential for 'elite capture' of benefits, destruction of cultural sites, and conflicts over land and resource tenure rights during boundary demarcation.
• A Process Framework (PF) has been established specifically to address risks related to the restriction of access to natural resources, such as grazing lands, ensuring that affected people do not become worse off.
• The project will utilize a joint Project Management Unit (PMU) shared with the 'KaF-Wild' project to maximize cost-effectiveness, including a dedicated Safeguards & Gender Officer to manage the Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM).
• The framework mandates a strict screening process for all activities; any activity that leads to involuntary relocation, uses prohibited pesticides, or causes significant biodiversity loss is strictly excluded from funding.
• To ensure inclusivity, the project identifies women, youth, disabled individuals, and the elderly as major vulnerable groups who must be actively engaged in consultations and benefit-sharing.

APA

WWF International (2025). THE KAFUE FLATS CLIMATE RESILIENCE AND ADAPTATION PROJECT ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL SAFEGUARDS FRAMEWORK. https://assets.worldwildlife.org/www-prd/documents/ESSSupportingDocument_Annex_F._KaFAdapt_ESMFFeb25.pdf

Chicago

WWF International. THE KAFUE FLATS CLIMATE RESILIENCE AND ADAPTATION PROJECT ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL SAFEGUARDS FRAMEWORK. 2025. https://assets.worldwildlife.org/www-prd/documents/ESSSupportingDocument_Annex_F._KaFAdapt_ESMFFeb25.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=WWF International |title=THE KAFUE FLATS CLIMATE RESILIENCE AND ADAPTATION PROJECT ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL SAFEGUARDS FRAMEWORK |date=January 2025 |url=https://assets.worldwildlife.org/www-prd/documents/ESSSupportingDocument_Annex_F._KaFAdapt_ESMFFeb25.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wwfinternational2025kafue, author = {{WWF International}}, title = {{THE KAFUE FLATS CLIMATE RESILIENCE AND ADAPTATION PROJECT ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL SAFEGUARDS FRAMEWORK}}, institution = {WWF International}, year = {2025}, month = jan, url = {https://assets.worldwildlife.org/www-prd/documents/ESSSupportingDocument_Annex_F._KaFAdapt_ESMFFeb25.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }