In the vast floodplains of Western Zambia, the Zambezi River winds through grasslands, forests, and wetlands that have sustained the Lozi people for centuries. The Lozi people of Barotseland have been custodians of the land for generations. Here, life follows the rhythm of the river. Fishing, farming, cattle rearing, and traditional ceremonies are all tied to the land and water, and to the health of the forests that shelter wildlife and protect these ecosystems.

Barotseland: Its Significance

Rising pressures from deforestation, climate change, and development threaten not only the natural world, but the cultural heritage of Barotseland.

The Barotse Cultural Landscape, which includes the Zambezi floodplain, has been nominated for UNESCO World Heritage status, primarily due to its unique cultural and ecological significance. This nomination recognizes the unique harmony between the Lozi people and their environment.

BioCarbon Partners’ (BCP) Kafue Zambezi Community Forest Project (KZCFP) plays a vital role in safeguarding the ecological and cultural integrity of this globally significant landscape, to ensure it remains intact for generations to come. More than a conservation initiative, it is a pioneering partnership that places the Lozi people, and their fellow communities across Zambia, at the heart of decision-making. The project blends indigenous knowledge with science-based, nature-driven solutions to secure a future where people and the planet prosper together.

KZCFP’s decision-making is built on a Quadrangle of trust and accountability:

Community: to provide local oversight, participation, and consent;

Government: to ensure policies align with national priorities;

BCP: to deliver technical expertise, project management, and financing pathways.

Partnership: to strengthen collaboration across stakeholders and ensure long-term sustainability.

At the community level, the project is locally led, with an internal governance board in place to guide decisions. This reflects the region’s cultural authority and respect for tradition. Through structures such as Community Forest Management Groups (CFMGs), Community Resource Boards (CRBs), and Project Oversight Committees (POCs), communities are not just stakeholders; they are stewards and shareholders.

KZCFP spans 16 districts in the Western Province of Zambia, with expansion planned into Southern Province. It currently helps to protect over 1.73 million hectares of forest, making it one of Africa’s most ambitious nature-based solution initiatives.

In partnership with Peace Parks Foundation (PPF), the project safeguards vital forest catchment areas of the Zambezi and Kafue Rivers, restores wildlife corridors that connect to the Kavango-Zambezi Transfrontier Conservation Area, and targets the prevention of an estimated 1 million tonnes of CO2 emissions every year through forest protection. The project is designed under the VCS CCB Triple Gold Standard, with the first verification aimed by the close of 2026.

Community-Led Conservation

To date, the project has trained 31 CFMGs in governance, planning, and accountability. It has reached over 84,064 beneficiaries, including 43,450 women, across 15,083 households. In the project’s effort to scale food security in the region, 401 Lead Farmers and 8,424 Follower Farmers have been trained in climate-smart agriculture, helping to secure food supplies, while reducing pressure on the region’s vast and beautiful forests. As part of an inclusive forest protection strategy, 75 Community Scouts/ honorary forest officers from within the region have been trained in resource protection.

KZCFP’s Social Impact strategy ensures climate finance reaches community priorities. Each CFMG conducts structured Needs Assessments to decide which projects matter most locally, from boreholes at a village level, to the disbursement of seeds at a household level.

The role of the BCP team is to support with project management tools such as work plans, development budgets, and monitoring frameworks. This approach ensures projects are delivered effectively, challenges are resolved quickly, and benefits are shared fairly. Financial management training for community treasurers ensures transparency and accountability in how carbon revenues are spent.

Nic Mudaly, BCP’s CEO, explains BCP’s approach, “Protecting forests is about more than carbon—it’s about people. Through climate finance, conservation becomes a catalyst for vital services and livelihoods, while safeguarding Africa’s most critical wildlife habitats. In this way, we connect community well-being with national development goals and global climate action.”

The Ecological Significance

The Kafue-Zambezi landscape is one of southern Africa’s most biologically significant regions, forming part of the Zambezi River Basin, which supplies water to over 40 million people across eight countries. The mighty Zambezi River and its tributaries, feed wetlands, floodplains, and groundwater systems that are lifelines for communities, agriculture, and wildlife across southern Africa. In Zambia alone, the Kafue River contributes about 50% of the nation’s hydropower generation, making its protection essential for national energy security. These waters support fisheries that millions depend on for food and income, while regulating climate and enabling some of the most productive ecosystems on the continent.

Kafue is also a sanctuary for some of Africa’s most iconic wildlife. Kafue National Park, one of the largest parks on the continent at 22,400 km², harbors more than 150 mammal species including elephant, lion, cheetah, wild dog, and some of the continent’s largest herds of antelope. Its rivers, wetlands, and woodlands also support over 470 species of birds, making it a globally recognized birding hotspot.

Dominating the landscape are vast Miombo woodlands, a globally significant ecosystem stretching across more than 2.7 million km² of Africa. In Zambia, these forests are the backbone of rural livelihoods, providing wild foods and medicinal plants, while also serving as one of the most important carbon sinks on the continent. Miombo woodlands store between 15-50 tonnes of aboveground carbon per hectare, rising to over 100 tonnes per hectare when soil and root systems are included. They are also reservoirs of biodiversity, providing habitat for elephants, wild dogs, sable antelope, and hundreds of bird species, while playing a critical role in watershed protection for the Zambezi and Kafue rivers.

This landscape is not only a haven for iconic species but also a natural stronghold for climate resilience, water security, and human well-being. Protecting it means safeguarding irreplaceable biodiversity, stabilizing the regional climate, and ensuring the survival of the people and wildlife who depend on its natural wealth.

By protecting forests, the project conserves biodiversity, secures water resources, builds climate resilience, and sustains livelihoods. KZCFP stands as a powerful example: that with trust, partnership, and shared vision, communities can lead the way in protecting nature for generations to come.

Any opinions expressed in this commentary reflect the views of the authors and not of Carbon Pulse.