Reforestation is an important climate change mitigation strategy. Chief Chamuka and a senior headman planting the first tree of the reforestation activity at the project inauguration in Kanakantapa.
A new project designed by GLM and Plan International Zambia to strengthen climate resilience in rural communities was officially launched on 10 February, 2016, in Chisamba district, Central Province.
The Strengthening Community-based Management of Environment and Natural Resources project, valued at 515,000 euro, aims to support effective and sustainable production and land management practices and build the resilience of communities to climate change impacts while broadening livelihood opportunities.
Over the four-year run of the project at least 6,430 households, or nearly 35,800 people, are expected to benefit directly in Chamuka and Chikonkomene wards, with youths representing a third of this target. The project will aim to deliver tangible benefits to small-scale farmers, including increased incomes, through project activities in conservation farming, beekeeping, fish farming, tree planting and restoration of degraded land, and the diversification of forest product investments.
Speaking at the project inauguration in Chikonkomene, GLM’s Team Leader Emmanuel Mutamba underscored the project’s importance in GLM’s mission:
“The project we have launched today in partnership with Plan International Zambia fits well with the GLM philosophy, which defines local community participation and ownership of development initiatives as the most effective way for these communities to achieve development sustainability.â€
Plan recognises GLM’s strong track record in participatory climate resilience action as key to the project’s implementation.
“After a long and thorough search for a suitable partner with whom to implement the project with, we are glad that we settled for GLM,†said Wiscot Mwanza, focal point person for the project and Water and Sanitation Manager for Plan International Zambia.
“We believe that GLM will live up to our expectations and those of the target communities and other key stakeholders. On our part at Plan, we shall go out of our way to give GLM the required support to ensure the project ends with a resounding success.â€
The project launch was attended by over three hundred people, including community leaders, youths, women, and several government officials from the province and district levels.
The official project run will be from December 2015 until November 2019, with funds provided by a grant from Plan International’s German National Office.