A new community-led carbon initiative has launched in Zambia. Its goal is ambitious: to remove up to 2 million tonnes of CO₂ each year by 2030. This project, called The Ecopreneur Movement – Miombo Woodland Restoration Project, is led by Community Climate Solutions (CCS) and backed by Climate Impact Partners.
The initiative empowers 240,000 Zambians to create sustainable livelihoods while restoring degraded ecosystems. Farmers, trained as “Ecopreneurs,” play a crucial role. They are revitalizing Zambia’s Miombo Woodlands, vital carbon sinks, through tree planting, sustainable farming, and fire prevention.
Unlocking the Miombo Woodland Carbon Project
Zambia’s Musokotwane-Nyawa Miombo Woodland Carbon Project, part of Eden: People+Planet’s portfolio.
Located in the Kazungula District, this 185,000-hectare initiative restores wildlife corridors between Kafue and Mosi-oa-Tunya National Parks.
- The 40-year project aims to deliver 2.9–6 million verified carbon credits while supporting 23 communities.
Long-Term Community and Ecological Benefits
The project uses various restoration methods, including:
- Assisted natural regeneration of degraded woodlands
- Indigenous tree nurseries for planting
- Fire breaks and buffer zones
- Watershed rehabilitation for water security
Communities benefit from programs like climate-smart farming, sustainable beekeeping, and eco-friendly businesses. This ensures carbon revenues are not the only source of resilience.
A Model That Puts Communities First
The project prioritizes community benefits. Farmers receive upfront payments for eco-services through CCS seed funding. Once carbon revenues arrive, 60% of the proceeds, after fees, return to the farmers and their communities.
Currently, 25,000 farmers have joined, and this number is expected to double by 2025. This growth supports one of Sub-Saharan Africa’s most ambitious restoration efforts.
By the decade’s end, the program aims to plant 30 million native trees and reach the 2-million-tonne CO₂ target.
Two Pillars of Restoration
Farmers use two key strategies:
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Introducing Native Trees to Farmlands: Adding trees to cropland improves soil, boosts food production, and captures carbon.
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Restoring Miombo Woodlands: Farmers encourage natural regrowth, plant native species, and apply fire-prevention techniques to enhance biodiversity.
This dual approach increases productivity and resilience, linking environmental gains to livelihoods.
Transparency and Integrity at Scale
To ensure credibility, the project employs satellite monitoring alongside local field checks. Key indicators include fire reduction, woody biomass growth, and soil carbon accumulation.
Digital payments are tracked, and project revenues will be publicly reported and audited. The program will register under Verra’s reforestation methodology (VM0047), aligning with the Core Carbon Principles. It also aims for the ABACUS quality label at initial verification.
Carbon credits are expected to start in 2027, with verified removals over a 40-year lifespan.
Financing Big Ambitions
The Musokotwane-Nyawa project uses blended finance, combining philanthropy with carbon market mechanisms. It expects to channel about $90.8 million into restoration efforts.
Preparations are underway. By Q1 2026, the program will be fully implemented, planting 800,000 native trees and establishing fire prevention measures.
Tackling Drivers of Deforestation
Zambia’s Miombo ecosystems face pressure from slash-and-burn farming, unsustainable logging, and charcoal production. These practices harm landscapes, reduce biodiversity, and increase greenhouse gas emissions.
Both projects aim to reverse this. By restoring Miombo woodlands and protecting natural growth, they offer communities sustainable alternatives that lessen forest pressure.
Zambia’s Roadmap for Carbon Markets and Forest Conservation
These initiatives align with Zambia’s Eighth National Development Plan and the Green Economy and Climate Change Act of 2024. This framework regulates carbon markets, protects ecosystems, and directs funds toward climate resilience.
Zambia is also a pilot for the REDD+ mechanism, benefiting from international funding to protect forests. With 49 million hectares of forest, the country is poised to lead in high-integrity carbon projects.
Investment Potential: A Green Goldmine
Zambia contributes about 6% of Africa’s carbon credit output and 0.7% globally. The potential is vast: Africa’s carbon markets could generate $6 billion annually by 2030, creating 30 million green jobs, according to the Africa Carbon Markets Initiative.
The global voluntary carbon market, valued at $331.8 billion in 2022, is projected to grow 31% annually from 2024 to 2028. Major companies like TotalEnergies and ENI are showing interest in Zambia’s market, attracting significant investment.
Beyond Carbon: Lasting Impact
Both initiatives aim for more than just carbon removal. They seek to:
- Restore biodiversity by reviving habitats
- Enhance food security through climate-smart farming
- Minimize wildfire risk and protect watersheds
- Boost household incomes through carbon revenues and new ventures
- Safeguard wildlife corridors vital for conservation across Southern Africa
This holistic approach makes Zambia’s Miombo woodland projects unique in the voluntary carbon market.
With carbon credits set to issue from 2027, Zambia’s community-led restoration projects are unlocking grassroots climate solutions. By combining community leadership, scientific methods, and innovative funding, they remove millions of tonnes of CO₂ while also promoting sustainable economic growth in rural Zambia.
