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European diplomats have visited farmers and community groups in Zambia’s eastern Katete district to see how climate-smart agriculture and sustainable forest management are helping improve livelihoods and build resilience to climate change.
The visit on September 21, organised by the Eastern Province GIZ Agri-Food Cluster, included the Climate-Smart Agriculture and Agroforestry Farmer Field School in Dole and the Chiswa Community Forest Management Group along the Great East Road.
The delegation included British Deputy High Commissioner to Zambia Simon ten Brinke-Jackson, Deputy Ambassador at the Embassy of Ireland Vincent Maher, Deputy Head of Mission and Head of Cooperation at the Embassy of Sweden Christina Wedekull, and Deputy Ambassador at the Embassy of Germany Andreas Pletziger.
“It’s essential that more farmers learn from and replicate the successful methods showcased by their peers,” ten Brinke-Jackson said.
At the Dole Farmer Field School, lead farmer Stanley Mbewe demonstrated climate-smart practices including the use of Leucaena and Gliricidia plants, irrigation techniques, metal silos and household biogas production.
Mbewe said training and resources provided through the Eastern Province Jurisdictional Sustainable Landscape Programme (EP-JSLP) were helping farmers improve food security and strengthen their resilience.
Farmers, including Solobati Phiri, also shared their experiences and demonstrated climate-smart practices adopted in their communities.
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The delegation later visited the Chiswa Community Forest Management Group, where Chairperson Sekelani Banda said the group was managing about 613 hectares of forest.
“Active participation from the community and forest regeneration are key to preserving our forest resources and enhancing sustainable management,” Maher, ten Brinke-Jackson and Pletziger said after the visit.
EP-JSLP Project Coordinator Noel Muchimba said Community Forest Management Groups were playing an important role in sustainable forest management, landscape restoration and emissions reduction in Eastern Province.
The visit brought together farmers, community representatives, government officials and European diplomats to showcase locally driven approaches to climate adaptation, forest conservation and livelihood development.
The EP-JSLP is implemented by the Zambian government through the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment with support from the World Bank, while its Climate-Smart Agriculture interventions are implemented through the Ministry of Agriculture.
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