LUSAKA, April 10 — Zambia and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) on Tuesday launched a program aimed at strengthening resilience in the face of drought. The 380,000-U.S.-dollar Community Resilience and Recovery Facility program will be implemented over 12 months in selected districts across the country identified by the government and its cooperating partners. Norman Chipakupaku, the national coordinator of the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit, said the program, launched following the devastating effect of the 2023/2024 drought, was imperative to build long-term community resilience. Carol Zulu, the UNDP program specialist for the Environment and Energy Unit, said the scope of the project will focus on vulnerable groups such as women. Zambia experienced severe drought during the 2023/2024 rainy season due to the El Nino weather phenomenon. The drought resulted in widespread crop failure and significantly reduced hydroelectric power generation, leading to an electricity shortfall across the country.
Xinhua proud partner of the African Youth Newspaper
