By NATION REPORTER
THE Norwegian Church Aid and Danish Church Aid, through their Joint Country Programme (JCP), says the newly launched LIFT Zambia Programme has an ambitious target to reach 750,000 people across the six from the 10 provinces of Zambia by 2029.
Senior Programmes Officer for Climate and Environmental Stewardship, Walusiku Luputa, said the LIFT Zambia initiative is a bold, five-year development programme funded by NORAD and Danida.
Ms Luputa said the programme is locally rooted and people-driven, aiming to empower communities with sustainable, homegrown solutions to address climate change, food security and environmental degradation.
She said the programme builds on the success of a previous initiative that supported 17, 000 farmers between 2020 and 2024 in adopting climate-smart agriculture and irrigation practices.
Ms Lupupa said LIFT Zambia was being implemented in partnership with local organisations across 10 districts in six provinces, including areas such as Milenge, Monze, Mumbwa and Livingstone.
She outlined the programme’s four pillars which are – L for Life Saved through clean water, sanitation, and healthcare: I for Inequalities Addressed by promoting civic rights and gender justice: F for Family Resilience to withstand climate and economic shocks: and T for Transformation for future generations.
Ms Lupupa said the initiative was not just a programme but a call to action to defend environmental rights, advance justice and drive community-led transformation.
This was during a high-level dialogue on environmental rights organised by the Centre for Environment Justice (CEJ) with support from the LIFT Zambia Project.
The event was attended by several Members of Parliament, government officials, traditional leaders, civil society organisations, private sector representatives and community environmental monitors.
Centre for Environment Justice (CEJ) is implementing the LIFT Zambia Project in Luapula and Central provinces, specifically in Milenge, Chifunabuli, and Mumbwa.
Under the LIFT Zambia project, CEJ aims to empower communities with knowledge and practical tools to create measurable outcomes, such as increased access to public finances, fighting inequality and injustices including early child marriages and protecting the environment.



