Policy Brief: Strengthening Ecosystem Management for Climate-Resilient Fisheries and Livelihoods in the Lower Zambezi, Zambia – A baseline assessment and community orientation on Nature-based Solutions

Abstract

The Lower Zambezi ecosystem in Zambia supports fisheries, food security, household incomes, and the livelihoods of communities that depend directly on aquatic and surrounding natural resources. However, increasing pressures from climate variability, habitat degradation, unsustainable fishing practices, and changing socioeconomic conditions are placing growing stress on both ecosystem health and community livelihoods. This policy brief presents a baseline assessment and community orientation aimed at strengthening ecosystem management for climate-resilient fisheries and sustainable livelihoods in the Lower Zambezi.

The assessment examines the ecological, socioeconomic, and institutional conditions influencing fisheries and resource-dependent communities, while documenting local perceptions, knowledge, practices, and priorities related to climate change and ecosystem management. Community orientation activities provide an important platform for raising awareness, strengthening participation, and fostering shared understanding of the links between healthy ecosystems, resilient fisheries, and sustainable livelihoods.

Findings from the baseline highlight the importance of integrated, participatory, and locally informed approaches to ecosystem management. Strengthening community engagement, fisheries governance, climate adaptation capacity, sustainable resource-use practices, and collaboration among relevant stakeholders is essential for improving resilience. The brief provides a foundation for measuring future changes and informing interventions that promote healthy aquatic ecosystems, sustainable fisheries, and improved livelihood outcomes in the Lower Zambezi. It further emphasizes the need to incorporate local knowledge and community priorities into decision-making to support equitable and climate-resilient management of fisheries and natural resources.