Government has reiterated the important role the Sustainable Luangwa Project (SLP) plays in the promotion of sustainable management of natural resources in Mafinga District, Muchinga Province.
‎Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment, Douty Chibamba, said the project is also key in helping to promote biodiversity and the conservation of climate change adoption and in promoting green growth.
‎Dr Chibamba said this when he officially opened the second national Steering Committee Meeting for the Sustainable Luangwa Project held in Chinsali District today.
‎He said the project is designed to enhance rural livelihoods and promote sustainable biodiversity management.
‎He has since outlined the important role the national steering committee plays in ensuring that the project is implemented effectively, efficiently, and in line with agreed objectives and expected outcomes.
‎”This meeting, therefore, provides an important platform for reflection, strategic guidance and collective decision-making on the progress of the project,” he said.
‎He has since challenged stakeholders to ensure the project delivers tangible environmental and socioeconomic benefits for people in Mafinga.
‎”It is important that all responsible institutions strengthen coordination, improve timely implementation of activities and enhance financial and technical reporting in order to ensure efficient utilisation of project resources.
“By working together with commitment and urgency, we can overcome these challenges and ensure that the project achieves its intended outcomes and delivers lasting benefits to communities and the environment. ” he said.
‎And Muchinga Province Deputy Permanent Secretary, Brian Sichande pledged the province’s commitment to support this project and other projects being implemented in this province that are aimed at addressing issues of natural resource management and climate change.
‎Mr Sichande has also hailed the potential of the project in protecting the Mafinga Hills ecological system.
‎He indicated that the Mafinga Hills and surrounding areas and the surrounding landscape are valuable natural assets with immense potential that can positively transform the economy of Muchinga Province and the country as a whole.
‎”Protecting this ecosystem is therefore not merely an option, but a responsibility that we must all embrace for the benefit of both the present and future generations.
“The Mafinga Hills ecosystem remains one of the most important natural assets in the Mafinga District and the entire country as a whole. It serves as a critical water catchment area, a biodiversity hotspot, and a source of livelihood for many surrounding communities,” he said.
Meanwhile, World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Country Director Nalucha Ziba called for serious collaboration in securing the Luangwa River system through integrated inclusive and sustainable catchment management.
Ms Ziba said WWF is moving isolated interventions towards an integrated landscape-level approach that aligns conservation, livelihoods and economic development.
She has since pledged her organization’s commitment to working with government and other partners to contribute to Zambia’s broader development and resilience agenda.
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