Factsheet: Natural Resources Stewardship Programme in Zambia

Despite being one of Africa’s most water-rich nations, Zambia’s water resources are increasingly threatened by the effects of climate change. The country in the center of Southern Africa ranks among those most exposed to climate-driven disruption on the continent. Significant dry spells in 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2024 have resulted in low water levels in Lake Kariba, one of the country’s important strategic freshwater resources, and dried up wells – a disruption to the livelihoods of many Zambians. In contrast, recent years have also brought increased flooding, especially affecting communities in Zambia’s Northern and Eastern regions. Additionally, rapid urbanisation, poor governance of natural resources and unchecked development especially in urban centers pose an increasing risk to the health of Zambia’s natural resources.

However, the protection of natural resources is highly complex and requires holistic, multi-sector and multi-stakeholder approaches. The Natural Resources Stewardship Programme (NatuReS) enables private-public-civil society partnerships to sustainably manage natural resources using the stewardship approach. The programme promotes collective action to jointly develop solutions for the protection and management of natural resources. In Zambia, NatuReS supports the Lusaka Water Security Initiative (LuWSI) and the Lusaka South Multi-Facility Economic Zone (LSMFEZ) to strengthen collective governance and deliver holistic solutions, tangibly protecting and enhancing life-supporting natural resources.