Zambia Integrated Forest Landscape Program

Program Overview

The ISFL program in Zambia is composed of the Zambia Integrated Forest Landscape Program (ZIFL-P), which closed in 2024, and the Eastern Province Jurisdictional Sustainable Landscape Program (EP-JSLP), which is Zambia’s emission reductions program launched in September 2024. Both initiatives have improved landscape management and increase the environmental and economic benefits for targeted rural communities in Zambia's Eastern Province. By curbing unsustainable agricultural expansion and enhancing the benefits derived from forestry, agriculture, and wildlife, these two programs aimed to reduce emissions by approximately 30 million tons and increase the resilience of communities to the impacts of climate change.

Program name	Zambia Integrated Forest Landscape Program (ZIFL-P)
Jurisdiction	Eastern Province
Size of jurisdiction	5.1 million hectares
Population in jurisdiction	1.7 million
Drivers of land use change	- Agricultural expansion, maize and cotton - Fuelwood harvesting for charcoal or firewood
Accounting area	5.1 million hectares
Implementing agency	Ministry of Green Economy and Environment
ISFL Funding	- $250,000 preparation grant - $7.75 million implementation grant financing through the government of Zambia - $30 million in results-based payments for verified emission reductions - $4 million grant for continued community forest management (as part of the ERPA program) - $6.9 million grant for supporting climate-smart agriculture, nature and protected areas, and digital climate advisory services during ERPA rollout - $1 million grant for ERPA project implementation support
Co-financing	$8.1 million in GEF financing
	$17 million IDA loan

Program activities were implemented through a consortium of committed and experienced partners, including local and national governments, the private sector, international agencies, NGOs and CSOs, as well as strong partnerships with local communities.

The ZIFL-P had four components:

Creating conditions that will enable the successful implementation of livelihood investments, thereby preparing Zambia for emission reductions purchases;
Financing on-the-ground activities that will improve rural livelihoods, conserve ecosystems, and reduce GHG emissions;
Finance activities related to national and provincial-level program coordination and management; and
Facilitating the use of funds from the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA) in the event of a disaster.

The EP-JSLP acts as an umbrella for climate-positive interventions within the province and focuses on the following activities:

Making payments for emission reductions derived from the sound management of landscapes and the distribution of net revenues according to the benefit-sharing plan
Enhancing local community involvement in sustainable land management and ecosystem restoration as well as climate resilience and mitigation within the jurisdictional program, ensuring the generation of emission reductions
Financing monitoring and evaluation, communication, and knowledge management, setting up the program to be self-sustaining and a model for future sustainability initiatives

Recent Progress – December 2025:

The ZIFL-P contributions to the Easter Province have been substantial: It increased the crop yields of farmers who adopted Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) practices by 32 percent; supported the creation of new income-earning activities and jobs in rural communities related to forest protection; and improved the sustainable management of over 72,000 hectares of forest.
Zambia became the second country to sign an ERPA with the ISFL in June 2024. The ERPA unlocks up to $30 million in results-based payments for emission reductions between 2024 and 2029. The payments will reward communities in Zambia’s Eastern Province for their efforts in forest conservation, CSA, and other activities such as fuel-efficient cookstoves and sustainable charcoal production.
Zambia achieved significant milestones towards their first Emission Reductions Payments. The first draft Emission Reductions Monitoring Report was finalized and will commence verification by a third -party body in December 2025.
The Eastern Province benefit sharing plan, prepared through proactive partnerships and engagement with local actors, ensures that participating stakeholders are rewarded for their efforts. In conjunction with the results-based payments, the Emission Reductions Program includes additional grant funding to expand activities started under the grant program across the province. The additional funding will offer the province continued support in sustainable forestry, CSA, social inclusion, biodiversity conservation, and other activities contributing to further climate mitigation and adaptation.

Country Context

Drivers of deforestation

The main drivers of deforestation in Zambia's Eastern Province are agricultural expansion (maize and cotton being important production crops), and fuelwood harvesting for charcoal or firewood. The clearing of forests for agriculture in the province is driven by the need for new land for cultivation due to: (i) declining soil fertility on existing agricultural land due to poor farming practices; and (ii) expanding scale of production to improve incomes and food security. The unregulated collection of fuelwood is often a precursor to agricultural expansion.

Key commodities and sectors

Cotton, maize, and fuelwood for charcoal or firewood

Policy interactions and green growth strategies

The Wildlife Act 2015 calls on communities to form enterprises to advance the conservation of parks. This legislation seeks to address the complicated legal process for establishing a community enterprise in Zambia.
National REDD+ Strategy: The Government of Zambia, through support from the Forest Investment Program administered by the World Bank and UN agencies, has undertaken a National REDD+ Readiness process that includes the development of a National REDD+ Strategy.
Zambia intends to reduce its GHG emissions, in line with its commitments under the Paris Agreement, by implementing three programs driven by the country’s Climate Response Strategy and supported by national development policies related to energy, forestry, agriculture, water, town and country planning, sanitation, and transport. The three programs focus on: (i) sustainable forest management; (ii) sustainable agriculture; and (iii) renewable energy and energy efficiency.
The country’s Emission Reductions Program is strongly aligned with the Ministry of Green Economy and Environment’s goal to promote investment in economic activities that are low-carbon, resource efficient, climate-resilient, and socially inclusive.

NDC commitments

Zambia has committed to a reduction in GHG emissions of 25 percent by 2030, or by 47 percent if substantial international financial support (roughly defined as $35 billion) is forthcoming. For both scenarios, the government plans to achieve most of its emission reductions through investments in sustainable land use and forestry management.