VCA team visits Mumbwa, Luangwa, Lukanga swamps

Mumbwa, June 23-26, 2024

CUTS Lusaka, alongside other VCA partners, collaborated with WWF officials during a three-day field expedition to Mumbwa district, Luangwa district, and Kabwe in Lukanga from January 23 to 26, 2024. Our participation in this journey holds immense significance as it allows the CUTS team to actively engage in activities to enhance our understanding of water harvesting, alternative livelihoods, and energy.

On Wednesday 24th January 2024, the team visited By Life Connect in Mumbwa, which was followed by a visit to Luangwa district, a region grappling with severe drought and extreme heat waves and ended with Lukanga Swamp in Kabwe district.


Lukanga swamps is a significant wetland situated approximately 50 km west of Kabwe in the Central Province of Zambia. This area plays a crucial role in the local economy, primarily centered around fishing, supplying fish to three provinces – Lusaka, Central, and Copperbelt – with a combined population exceeding 8 million.

However, Lukanga Swamp faces a myriad of challenges, including overfishing, the use of agro-chemicals posing potential threats, deforestation, floods, and rampant youth unemployment. These issues collectively impact the delicate ecological balance and the livelihoods of the communities dependent on the swamp.

Lukanga is a focal point for the Voices for Just Climate Action (VCA) program in Zambia, aiming to amplify the voices of rural communities in addressing climate issues through a human rights-based approach. During the visit, WWF and the VCA subgrant partners had the privilege of engaging with both the community residing in the swamps and those in the surrounding areas, gaining valuable insights into their experiences and concerns.

Under the Voices for Just Climate Action (VCA), which is supported by the Dutch government and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Zambia, CUTS International is implementing a project titled “Transforming the most vulnerable to climate change impacts into climate-smart leaders in Zambia” in Mazabuka.

The primary objective of this project is to scale up Zambia’s climate action response while targeting vulnerable communities.