Government has received US $14.6 million from the Climate Investment Fund as additional financing for the Zambia Strengthening Climate Resilience – Pilot Programme for Climate Resilience (PPCR PHASE II) Project.

In a statement, Ministry of National Development Planning spokesperson Chibaula Silwamba stated that the extra resources are aimed at scaling-up the existing successful PPCR sub-grant–funded project activities in the Barotse sub-basin.

“At the moment there are over 800 community projects being implemented in 13 districts in Western Province and in Kazungula District, Southern Province, being financed by the Pilot Programme for Climate Resilience, a project under the Ministry of National Development Planning,” Silwamba stated.

“The additional funds will allow for a 36-month extension of Zambia’s Strategic Programme for Climate Resilience (ZSPCR) – Pilot Programme for Climate Resilience (PPCR Phase II) Project from 2019 to 2022. The PPCR Phase II is aimed at improving the livelihoods and resilience of rural communities in the Barotse sub-basin, which is being implemented with the support of the World Bank Group.”

He further stated that the additional financing would equally focus on mobilizing private sector investments to support climate change.

“One of the goals of the ZSPCR is to explore the country’s private sector strengths that provide solid foundation for economic growth and job creation,” he stated.

“The additional financing will, therefore, mainly focus on mobilising private sector investments to support climate resilience projects through the following inter-linked activities: The identification of challenges, risks, and opportunities for producers to transform their livelihoods into market-based enterprises; the support of livelihood diversification/enterprises such as crops, fisheries, livestock, and irrigated high-value crops under targeted value chains linked to strong markets.”

The Pilot Programme for Climate Resilience targets the poorest of the poor in the pilot districts who are mostly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.

According to Silwamba, government has realised the valuable benefits of the PPCR projects, hence the scaling-up of these activities by building on the current successes on the ground with the additional funds.