Zambia
Zambia is a country with abundant natural resources and a fairly rich biodiversity. It is one of the most forested countries in the world and contains a number of major wetlands and rivers. However, the food and livelihood security of millions of people, particularly those in rural areas, depend on the sustainable management of the country’s natural resources. Almost 72 percent of the Zambian population are engaged in agricultural activities, of which almost 65 percent are women. Many are smallholder farmers that are reliant on rain-fed agriculture and unsustainable land use practices, which leaves them extremely vulnerable to the effects of climate change and variability.
MOSAICC within project framework
Climate change impact assessments using MOSAICC contribute to two on-going projects in Zambia.
To begin with, FAO is implementing the project “Building the Basis for Scaling-Up Climate-Smart Agriculture”. The project supports scaling-up of Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) by providing an extended evidence base necessary to better identify the set of packages most appropriate for adopting CSA solutions including crop, trees, shrubs and other agro-forestry related options as well as livestock and livestock practices. These will further contribute to the countries’ capacity to identify and select suitable CSA options and develop the institutional and policy frameworks needed to support them.
The Integrating Agriculture into National Adaptation Plans (NAP-Ag) programme, coordinated by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and FAO, aims to address climate change adaptation concerns related to the agriculture sectors. It supports 11 developing countries in the integration of adaptation measures into national planning and budgeting processes. The initiative will also improve the countries' capability to access climate finance oppurtunities, such as the Global Environment Facility and the Green Climate Fund.