Stakeholders’ Meeting Sets Foundation for Sustainable Environmental management in Kazungula
Kazungula District yesterday took a decisive step toward sustainable and climate-resilient development following a stakeholders’ meeting hosted in the Council Chamber at the New Civic Centre. The meeting brought together key district stakeholders under the TRALARD Project, spearheaded by the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment (MGEE) in collaboration with the World Bank.
The engagement forms part of a broader preliminary dam safety assessment and mapping of priority watersheds being conducted across selected districts. In Kazungula, the meeting created a vital platform for dialogue between the National Project Coordinating Unit (NPCU), provincial officials, council representatives, members of the District Development Coordinating Committee (DDCC), civil society organisations, and other local partners.
At the heart of the discussions was the shared objective of promoting sustainable landscape management as a catalyst for local development. Stakeholders were taken through the project’s objectives and the criteria used to identify target areas, ensuring that the process remains transparent, inclusive, and informed by local realities. This open exchange allowed participants to collectively identify, discuss, and validate priority watersheds and critical water catchment areas that are essential for water security, agriculture, and livelihoods in the district.
The meeting also highlighted the strategic importance of irrigation development supported by dams located within or near identified catchment areas. By mapping these opportunities, stakeholders underscored how improved irrigation can enhance agricultural productivity, strengthen food security, and build the adaptive capacity of local communities against climate shocks such as droughts and erratic rainfall.
Equally significant was the focus on environmental protection and restoration. Participants identified and validated priority areas for Community Forest Management, recognizing forests as vital assets for watershed protection, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable livelihoods. Discussions further mapped irrigation-related livelihood activities within the targeted landscapes, ensuring that environmental investments are closely linked to tangible socio-economic benefits for communities.
The meeting also served as a networking and coordination platform, enabling the identification of potential implementation partners within the district, including non-governmental and civil society organisations. This collaborative approach is expected to strengthen implementation, avoid duplication of efforts, and ensure that development interventions are locally owned and sustainable.
By convening stakeholders in a single forum, the Kazungula stakeholders’ meeting demonstrated the power of participatory planning in driving development. The outcomes of the meeting will directly inform technical assistance, investment planning, and policy decisions under the TRALARD Project, positioning Kazungula to benefit from well-coordinated interventions that protect natural resources while improving livelihoods.
As Kazungula continues to grow as a strategic district, such inclusive and forward-looking engagements reaffirm the district’s commitment to sustainable development that balances environmental stewardship with economic and social progress.