Zambia is facing its driest agricultural season in over forty years, leading to severe crop losses, rising livestock deaths, and deepening poverty. Government crop assessment data shows that more than nine million people across 84 of the country’s 117 districts are impacted (OCHA, 2024).
Zambia has been a lot to strengthen drought preparedness and response, including the development of the National Drought Plan in 2020 and the establishment of the Zambia Drought Management System.
The question then is: what else should be prioritized as policy option for Zambia to pursue in the upcoming UNCCD COP 16? Here are the seven options IWG on Drought - Summary of the 6th meeting.pdf
- Amendment to the Convention
- COP Decision on collaboration with the Global Environment Facility
- COP Guidance to the Global Mechanism
- Global Framework on Drought Resilience
- Political Declaration
- Protocol
- Special and ambitious COP Decision on drought