Posted on September, 02 2022

The economy of Zambia is heavily relying on small and medium enterprises (SME). According to the International Trade Centre Survey (2018), SMEs in Zambia represent 70 percent of Gross Domestic product (GDP), 88 percent of employment and contribute 97 percent of all businesses in the economy.

This business climate leads to many opportunities for these small business owners. But threats brought about by climate change are affecting chances, Nachilala Nkombo, Country Director for the World Wildlife Fund Zambia, states. 'There are some major challenges that need to be addressed.'

Water, sanitation and food insecurity

First of all, there is a lack of clean and safe water. Despite Zambia having over eight water bodies, a large percentage of rural communities still don’t have consistent access to clean and safe water. 'This means that this populace relies on untreated water, which is linked to several diseases like cholera, diarrhoea, dysentery, hepatitis A, typhoid and polio', Nkombo stated. With droughts happening more often, these rural communities are hit hardest when there is scarcity.

Water and its sanitation is also a problem in urban areas, with local municipalities struggling to effectively manage waste, having no proper systems for garbage collection to cater to especially the vulnerable communities. This has led to contamination of water sources.

Another challenge is food insecurity, Nkombo said. 'Zambia’s agriculture sector in recent years has been adversely affected by the tolls of climate change. From floods causing destruction and crop damage to droughts starving livestock: it is a major threat to food security.'

Green business propositions

It is the culmination of these climate challenges together with a general lack of investment in businesses that work for and with nature to bring local economic development that the MoMo4C progamme was developed. This five-year programme of IUCN Netherlands, WWF Netherlands and Tropenbos International, funded by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, brings together entrepreneurs, companies, policymakers, investors and civil society organisations.

Read more about MoMo4C and their approach

The goal is to make green business propositions that tackle the impacts and causes of climate change at a landscape level in developing countries. MoMo4C seeks to accelerate entrepreneurship that has solutions for one or more key challenges in their specific landscape in the sectors of Agri-food, Water & Sanitation, Forestry & Landscape regeneration. Creating a win-win situation for companies, society, and the environment. The fund works in six different landscapes in Africa and Asia, bridging the gap between local solutions that enhance climate adaptation and mitigation and funding opportunities to scale up such initiatives.