Nemus strengthens presence in Zambia with new project

Nemus was recently awarded another project in Zambia to develop a Conservation Plan for the Lukanga Swamps and Upper Kafue Basin under the Zambia Mining and Environmental Remediation and Improvement Project (ZMERIP). The Plan is being developed for the Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA) and is funded by the World Bank’s International Development Agency.

The second project developed by Nemus in Zambia, it covers the central area of the country, specifically the Kafue River basin. This is the largest river basin in Zambia, home to about 50% of the population, and plays a central role in the national economy. The Lukanga Swamp is its largest permanent body of water. It was designated a Ramsar site in 2005 as it was a suitable habitat for birds and other wildlife, hosting a set of endangered species and an important area of reproduction for the fish fauna. This area also acts as a filter for upstream sediments and metals from the Copperbelt province. The province, which occupies most of the Upper Kafue basin, is where most of the mining activity in the country takes place. In addition to mining, there is intensive agriculture in the Upper Kafue capable of influencing downstream water quality due to the runoff from nutrients used and produced there. In the Lukanga wetland, the main economic activity is fishing, which supplies three provinces. There is also extensive agriculture, cattle breading, gathering of firewood and basketry materials, among others.

This project, already underway, will enable better management of water resources and associated ecosystems, through data collection and the creation of support tools, in addition to proposing actions which may involve working with the upstream pollution sources. The overall aim is to improve the quality of life of the populations which depend on these resources, as well as to protect the existing natural ecosystems.