National workshop brings together key actors to co-design resilient livestock and aquaculture strategies for the Kafue River Basin in Zambia

As Southern Africa faces mounting climate pressures and food system vulnerabilities, Zambia is stepping forward with an ambitious plan to sustainably transform its livestock and aquaculture sectors. From July 3 to 4, 2025, key stakeholders convened at Twangale Resort in Lusaka for a co-design workshop under the CGIAR Sustainable Animal and Aquatic Foods Science Program. The two-day event was a step forward in advancing environmentally responsible and productive livestock and aquaculture systems, with a focus on dual-purpose cattle and tilapia.

The dairy, beef, and fisheries industries have been targeted by the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock (MoFL) to boost productivity and employment. In 2020, the government introduced the National Livestock Development Policy (NLDP) to address critical challenges in the sector and align with Zambia’s Vision 2030, which aims to achieve middle-income status. The NLDP’s primary objective is to transform the livestock industry to drive socio-economic development.

Participants included representatives from the Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock, Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry (MCTI), Ministry of Green Economy and Environment (MGEE), Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises Development (MSMED), University of Zambia (UNZA), Zambia Agricultural Research Institute (ZARI), Enhanced Smallholder Livestock Investment Programme (E-SLIP), Department of Fisheries (DoF), Palabana University, Seed Control and Certification Institute (SCCI), and Grupo Papalotla, a leading seed company.

Notably, SCCI emphasized the need to register high-quality, productive forage varieties in Zambia and promote private sector uptake to ensure these reach last-mile livestock producers. UNZA and MGEE respectively underscored the importance of producing healthy livestock products and ensuring environmental stewardship throughout the value chain.

Led by CGIAR, the program focuses on improving feed and forage systems for dual-purpose cattle and tilapia. Participating CGIAR centers included WorldFish, the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT).

A key outcome of the workshop was the co-development of a Theory of Change. This practical roadmap outlines long-term goals, expected results, key innovations, and the partnerships needed to deliver impact over the next decade.

The Kafue River Basin, a biodiversity hotspot and vital agricultural region, was identified as a priority landscape for research and coordination. It already hosts IWMI’s multistakeholder platforms for integrated water resource management. Over 50 percent of Zambia’s population resides in the basin, with approximately 65 percent living in urban areas.

Zambia is one of 17 focus countries across Latin America, Africa, and Asia under the CGIAR Sustainable Animal and Aquatic Foods Program. This initiative is part of CGIAR’s 2025 to 2030 research portfolio aimed at transforming animal and aquatic food systems to deliver healthy, climate-smart, and inclusive supply chains. The program builds on earlier CGIAR research in the region, including work on climate-resilient forages, improved tilapia genetics, and tools to assess environmental footprints across livestock and aquaculture systems.

Strategic Priorities for Zambia

Looking ahead, the project will prioritize several strategic activities:

• Forage development and distribution: Scaling climate-resilient, nutrient-dense forage hybrids, especially Brachiaria and Panicum, tailored for dual-purpose cattle systems. This includes engaging private seed companies and regulatory bodies to support forage registration, certification, and farmer adoption.
• Tilapia genetic improvement and feeding systems: Enhancing locally adapted strains through selective breeding and feed innovations, in collaboration with WorldFish. The goal is to boost aquaculture productivity and resilience while reducing feed costs and minimizing environmental impacts.
• Livestock health and disease management: Developing and delivering integrated animal health solutions for smallholder systems. This includes strengthening disease surveillance, rolling out targeted vaccination programs, and improving veterinary service delivery, particularly in climate-vulnerable areas.
• Environmental footprint assessments: Implementing context-specific metrics to evaluate and reduce carbon, land, and water footprints across animal and aquatic food systems. The Kafue River Basin will serve as a pilot landscape for testing emissions reduction interventions and monitoring natural resource use.

With strong alignment between national priorities and CGIAR’s science-driven approach, the Sustainable Animal and Aquatic Foods Science Program is well-positioned to support Zambia’s food system transformation. It aims to enhance livelihoods, safeguard ecosystems, and advance both national and global sustainability goals.