Online Reporter
Precious Manomano
Herald Reporter
THE African Development Bank (AfDB) and its development partners are mobilising about US$290 million to finance climate-resilience projects across the Zambezi River Basin, targeting agriculture, water, energy, environmental restoration and livelihoods.
The funding will support the Programme for Building Resilience of Food, Livelihoods and Ecosystems in the Zambezi River Basin (BREFOLE-ZRB), a regional initiative involving Angola, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Speaking during the programme’s pre-appraisal regional workshop in Harare yesterday, AfDB division manager for agricultural research, production and sustainability Dr Laouali Garba said climate change required a coordinated regional response.
“This is a very important programme. Climate change is a very big issue and it is difficult for one country to tackle it alone.
“Countries have already agreed to work together,” he said.
AfDB is partnering the Climate Investment Funds (CIF), Global Environment Facility (GEF), Green Climate Fund (GCF) and other financiers to mobilise resources for priority interventions identified by participating countries.
Zambezi Watercourse Commission (ZAMCOM) executive secretary Mr Felix Ngamlagosi said the basin supports about 51 million people, with nearly 44 percent living below the poverty line.
He said the region continues to face widespread environmental degradation, recurrent droughts and devastating floods.
“The countries agreed that we must fight together, using the resources that are available,” said Mr Ngamlagosi.
Despite its vast potential for irrigation development, hydropower generation and water supply infrastructure, investment in the basin remains below required levels, he added.
Mr Ngamlagosi said ZAMCOM had worked with member states to identify shared challenges and package priority projects capable of attracting development financing.
“The programme we have today is one of those programmes that we have developed, and the AfDB working together with the GEF and also other financiers, GCF and the Climate Investment Fund, have jointly agreed to set aside US$290 million for the countries to tap and invest in their priority areas,” he said.
SADC acting senior programme officer for water Dr Dumsani Mndzebele welcomed the collaboration among basin states and funding partners, describing the programme as timely given the increasing impact of El Niño and La Niña weather events across Southern Africa.
“It is encouraging also to note that the BREFOLE-ZRB Programme seeks to bring together three mutually reinforcing investment streams supported by the CIF, AfDB, African Development Fund, and the GEF,” he said.
Dr Mndzebele said the integrated approach would enable ZAMCOM and member states to coordinate implementation more effectively and maximise the impact of investments.
“The pooling of effort also tends to yield more impactful results,” he said.
The financing will support agriculture, energy, water supply, environmental protection, poverty reduction and job creation. It is anchored in the Zambezi Region Nature, People and Climate Investment Plan and aligned with the Zambezi Watercourse Strategic Plan 2018-2040.
The programme combines the AfDB-led PIDACC Zambezi Zone II initiative, financed through the African Development Fund’s 17th Replenishment Regional Operations Envelope, with a GEF-supported project aimed at strengthening Zambezi River Basin management for climate resilience and ecosystem health.
Planned interventions include integrated landscape management, climate-smart agriculture, nature-based solutions, ecosystem restoration, livelihood diversification and stronger regional and national institutions.
Dr Mndzebele said the programme would strengthen the resilience of food systems, livelihoods and ecosystems through sustainable agriculture, improved land and water management, and enhanced institutional coordination.
It will also contribute to the Southern Africa Great Green Wall Initiative through the restoration of degraded catchments, forests, rangelands, agricultural land, wetlands and riparian ecosystems.
Dr Garba said the current pre-appraisal mission would be followed by national consultations to identify priority projects and prepare country-specific investment plans.
“The time has come to turn direct mobilisation into achievement on the ground — community resilience, food security, job creation for youth and women,” he said.
The three-day workshop, which began yesterday and ends tomorrow, has brought together officials responsible for water, agriculture, environment and finance from the eight basin states.
Delegates are expected to validate national priorities, review proposed projects and ensure countries are ready to access the financing.
Mr Ngamlagosi said participating countries would be required to demonstrate implementation readiness and submit formal financing requests before accessing the resources, which will comprise a mix of grants and concessional loans.
The programme is now moving from the preparation stage to appraisal and is expected to be presented to the AfDB Board before the end of the year.
