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The Nature-Based Solutions Inventory for Zimbabwe documents 10 NbS for adaptation projects across five regions, focusing on ecological restoration, livelihood resilience, and inclusive governance. Key interventions include reforestation, wetland rehabilitation, and climate-smart agriculture to combat risks such as prolonged droughts, flooding, and habitat loss. The inventory highlights a strong concentration of projects in the Southern region and emphasizes the integration of traditional knowledge and gender-responsive approaches to ensure equitable benefits for vulnerable populations.

The AY4SF project seeks USD 25 million in GCF grants to enhance the climate resilience of rural communities in Zimbabwe's Midlands, Matabeleland North, and Matabeleland South provinces. Targeting 240,055 direct beneficiaries, including nearly 80,000 adolescents and youth (aged 15-35), the initiative focuses on implementing Local Adaptation Plans (LAPs) and Nature-based Solutions (NbS) to restore 56,750 hectares of land. The project integrates climate-resilient agriculture, livestock, and forestry value chains with business incubation and digital agritech to create sustainable green employment and reduce the vulnerability of youth to climatic shocks.

The assessment examines how patriarchal norms, limited resource access, and climate change intersect to increase the vulnerability of women, adolescents, and youth in rural Zimbabwe. It identifies systemic barriers to green jobs and climate resilience, including time poverty due to unpaid care work, limited land ownership, and high rates of gender-based violence. The report concludes with a framework to mitigate GESI risks and ensure equitable access to project benefits.

The report examines the legal landscape in Zimbabwe concerning the rights of local communities and indigenous peoples. It highlights a significant gap between progressive constitutional provisions and the actual implementation of laws, particularly in the mining and forestry sectors. While community-based natural resource management (CBNRM) programs like CAMPFIRE show some success in wildlife conservation, the report finds that local communities often face arbitrary evictions, lack of secure land tenure, and marginalization from decision-making processes in extractive industries. It recommends comprehensive legal reforms to align sectoral laws with the 2013 Constitution, establish a Land Commission, and formalize the recognition of Indigenous Community Conserved Areas (ICCAs).