Transforming Landscapes for Resilience and Development in Zambia II

About this project

Zambia is endowed with abundant natural resources, including land, forests, water, wildlife, and various minerals, which are crucial to its national economy. The country boasts 2.9 billion m³ of trees, with 72% located in semi-evergreen miombo-dominated forests. However, with rural poverty levels averaging 80%, rural communities heavily depend on these natural resources for survival. Majority if not most of Zambia's rural population relies directly on natural resources for fuel, food, income, raw materials, and medicines.Deforestation and forest degradation are the biggest threats to Zambia's forests, putting the economy and environment at risk. As of 2021, Zambia's forest cover was estimated at 45.4 million hectares, representing 60% of the country's total land area, with an average deforestation rate of 172,000 ha/year and forest degradation of 38,400 ha/year. The primary drivers include land use changes due to population growth, agricultural expansion, infrastructure development, mining, and wood extraction for fuelwood. Uncontrolled forest fires and unregulated charcoal production further exacerbate these issues, leading to biodiversity loss, reduced forest productivity, and diminished ecosystem services. Other negative impacts include, soil erosion, flooding, high evapotranspiration, water and food insecurity, displacement of people and reduced hydropower generation. Climatic impacts such as droughts are forcing migration from certain regions of the country to others, l…

Published by

World Bank · Multilateral

Countries

Zambia

Sectors

Environmental policy and administrative managementLocal government administrationAgricultural developmentMulti-hazard response preparedness

Places

Lusaka

Funded by

International Development Association

Implemented by

Ministry of Environment and Green Economy

Accountable

Republic of Zambia

Passes funds through

International Development Association

Published by World Bank to the International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI), last updated 2 Oct 2026 and imported automatically. IATI identifier: 44000-P507971.

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