Forests and Food: A Community-Driven Approach to Conservation in Zambia
Published: Apr 9, 2025 Reading time: 5 minutes Share: Share an articleThe connection between forests and food security in Zambia has never been more evident. Forests maintain soil fertility, prevent erosion, and regulate water cycles, and many depend on them for timber, food, medicine, and livelihoods. Deforestation presents a growing challenge to environmental sustainability and food security. We joined forces with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to protect nature and support farmers for a project in Zambia´s Barotse Floodplain.
In Zambia's Western Province, forests provide shelter and biodiversity and are a vital food source and livelihood for rural communities. Yet, deforestation and land degradation threaten this delicate balance. According to Global Forest Watch, from 2002 to 2023, Zambia lost 10% of their humid primary forests, with the top three regions responsible for 58% of all tree cover loss between 2001 and 2023.
Western Province lost 281,000 hectares of tree cover between 2001 and 2023, representing a 5% decline. In 2023 alone, 19.3 kha of natural forest was lost, resulting in nearly 5.89 Mt of CO₂ emissions. The hardest-hit areas—Kaoma, Lukulu, and Sesheke—underscore the urgency of community-led conservation efforts.
This reality drives our collaborative approach with villages across the Barotse Floodplain, where we provide local communities with knowledge and tools to protect their environment. These partnerships are built on a fundamental understanding. When residents recognise that environmental damage directly impacts their food security and livelihoods, they become the most effective stewards of their natural resources.
Forests and Food Security: An Interlinked Challenge
Forests are fundamental to food production, supporting agriculture by maintaining soil fertility, preventing erosion, and regulating water cycles. For many rural Zambians, they are also a direct source of sustenance, providing wild fruits, mushrooms, honey, and medicinal plants that contribute to household nutrition and income. Despite their importance, forests face intense pressure from unsustainable land use, over-reliance on charcoal, and shifting cultivation practices. Traditional cooking methods, which depend on firewood and charcoal, have accelerated deforestation, weakening forests' ability to support food security.
To address this challenge, we have been working alongside local communities, government agencies, and traditional leadership to sustain land and forest management solutions with our partners WWF thanks to funding from Jersey Overseas Aid (JOA) and Czech Aid through the Enhancing Livelihood Opportunities through Ecosystem Protection in the Barotse Floodplain of Western Zambia project.
A Sustainable Response: Community-Led Conservation and Land Management
Through a process where villages identify and designate their lands for protection, we've secured 90,400 hectares of land under rangeland and forestry management, ensuring that forests continue to support food systems and climate resilience. We've established three Community Forestry Groups (CFMGs) to promote sustainable conservation practices, while four Community Rangeland Management Groups (CRMGs) now regulate grazing and prevent land degradation. We've also revitalised a previously inactive rangeland group, ensuring continued conservation efforts.
These achievements go beyond conservation, helping to safeguard forests as a food source and a foundation for sustainable agriculture. However, while local communities have voluntarily allocated these rangelands and forest areas for protection, their formal recognition by the government remains essential.
We support communities through this process to ensure their conservation efforts receive legal backing and long-term sustainability.
Behaviour Change for Sustainable Energy
A crucial part of our initiative is reducing dependence on charcoal and firewood by promoting alternative fuel solutions. Through behaviour change campaigns, communities are learning about eco-briquettes—a cleaner, more sustainable fuel made from organic waste. This shift is vital in breaking the link between cooking practices and deforestation, which helps protect forest ecosystems that support food production.
During one of these campaigns in Mongu, Regina Likezo Lumbala, a 78-year-old street hawker selling locally made brooms, shared her perspective:
Special types of cooking stoves can help reduce the amount of material burnt.
To encourage wider adoption of these solutions, we've partnered with Mumwa Crafts Association, a local organisation skilled in producing eco-briquettes and improved cookstoves. We're creating economic opportunities while reducing deforestation by supporting local businesses and expanding access to clean energy alternatives.
Best Practices and Lessons from Community-Led Conservation
Our success in establishing Community Forestry Management Groups and Community Rangeland Management Committees has been driven by strong engagement with traditional leadership, particularly the Barotse Royal Establishment (BRE), which was crucial in mobilising communities and securing trust. Participatory mapping and transparent land demarcation have strengthened local stewardship, reducing conflicts over land use and ensuring fair and inclusive resource management.
Another key lesson has been the importance of adaptive management. We've remained flexible, adjusting strategies based on community feedback to ensure continued engagement and success. Gender inclusion has also been our priority, with women actively participating in leadership roles and making up 40% of CFMG executive committees. Their involvement has strengthened decision-making and ensured more inclusive and sustainable conservation efforts.
The Future of Food Begins in the Forests
Forests are not just trees but the backbone of food security and climate resilience. When protected and managed well, forests sustain agriculture, preserve biodiversity, and support the livelihoods of countless communities.
Looking ahead, we remain committed to scaling up the adoption of eco-friendly cooking solutions, strengthening market linkages for sustainable energy sources, and advocating for stronger policy support for community-led forest conservation. Ensuring that forests continue to provide food, shelter, and economic opportunities for future generations requires a collective effort from communities, policymakers, and conservation partners.
