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The Community Drought Mitigation Project, implemented by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and ENDA-Zimbabwe, aimed to enhance sustainable livelihoods in the drought-prone areas of Mudzi (Makaha Ward) and Gwanda (Gwanda Ward 19) in Zimbabwe. Using a sustainable livelihoods framework, the project focused on empowering communities by building on their existing adaptive strategies and integrating them with appropriate technologies and policy analysis. Key achievements included the establishment of community nutrition gardens and boreholes, the promotion of drought-resistant indigenous crops through a seed-exchange scheme, and the construction of community resource centres. Despite significant implementation challenges—including staff turnover, a top-down design approach by the local partner, and initial lack of on-site management—the project successfully increased household income through vegetable sales and soap making, and improved local capacity for soil and water conservation. The report concludes that participatory project design and a permanent on-the-ground presence are essential for the success of rural development initiatives in arid regions.