Government has emphasised the need to protect the Luangwa River, whose source is in Mafinga District in Muchinga Province.
Ministry of Green Economy and Environment Permanent Secretary, Douty Chibamba, said the water body supports the livelihoods of many people.
Dr Chibamba warned that any disturbance to the river source could negatively affect downstream communities that depend on it.
ZANIS reports that Dr Chibamba said this after leading a team of experts and members of the National Steering Committee for the Sustainable Luangwa Project to Chiyombo Village in Mafinga district.
“The question we should ask ourselves is what happens when this river dries?” he asked.
He said the government, through the project, will continue working with stakeholders to prevent the river from drying.
Dr Chibamba also advised the Sustainable Luangwa Project (SLP) to work closely with communities to stop cultivation near the riverbanks.
Earlier, Sustainable Luangwa Project Coordinator, Lazarous Sichone expressed concern over increasing encroachment into the river basin.
Mr Sichone said people are cultivating too close to the riverbanks, a practice that is contributing to soil erosion and affecting the river system.
He disclosed that the project has engaged the Ministry of Agriculture to develop farmer-led irrigation schemes aimed at preventing cultivation near the river.
“The law provides for a 50-metre buffer zone on either side of the river where no socio-economic activities should take place, but generally we have seen that people are cultivating right into the river channel, which is intensively bringing loose soils into the channel,” he said.
“To address this, we have engaged the Ministry of Agriculture to introduce farmer-led irrigation schemes,” he added.
Meanwhile, Water Resources Management Authority (WARMA) Luangwa River Catchment Hydrologist, Goodfellow Mphande said the authority is conducting sensitisation programmes to discourage communities from cultivating near the river source.
Mr Mphande said WARMA has also established monitoring points to assess water levels, quality, and river flows.
“This is important so that we can provide timely advice as water managers,” he said.
He reaffirmed WARMA’s commitment to protecting the headwaters of the Luangwa River, which originates from the Mafinga Hills.
Meanwhile, citizen scientist Moses Simukoko thanked the government through the Sustainable Luangwa Project for empowering communities with knowledge and tools for protecting the river.
Mr Simukoko said the project has enabled communities to monitor water levels and check water quality.
“We are now able to detect when the river contains too many chemicals, such as those coming from fertilisers,” he said.
He added that sensitisation programmes have significantly reduced cases of river pollution caused by activities such as washing in the river.
The Luangwa River, whose source is in the Mafinga Hills of Mafinga District in Muchinga Province, flows through Eastern and Lusaka provinces before joining the Zambezi river.
