Linking REDD+ with SFM: The REDD+ Readiness Process in Zambia,
Mr. Deuteronomy Kasaro (REDD+ Coordination Unit, Ministry of Lands,Natural Resources, and Environmental Protection, Republic of Zambia)

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Linking REDD+ with SFM: The REDD+ Readiness Process in Zambia
Deuteronomy Kasaro (REDD+ Coordination Unit, Ministry of Lands, Natural Resources, andEnvironmental Protection, Republic of Zambia)
I will give a presentation that gives an overview of the process that we have gone throughunder REDD+, but linking it to sustainable forest management in recognizing the role of the forest.

Basically, I will look at the forest resources in Zambia, the REDD+ process, the mainachievements, the challenges, and the lessons that we have learned in the process.

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That is just to give an idea where Zambia is. We are actually a landlocked country and wehave eight countries surrounding us.

In terms of Forest Resources, 66% of Zambia is covered by forests, and the area is 752,000
square kilometers with a population of only about 13 million. That gives a population density ofaround 17 people per square kilometer. I was just comparing it to India. I think there is quite somedifference.

In terms of forests, basically we have the Miombo woodlands, and we have a bit ofplantations as well, as you can see.

Linking REDD+ with SFM: The REDD+ Readiness Process in Zambia,
Mr. Deuteronomy Kasaro (REDD+ Coordination Unit, Ministry of Lands,
Natural Resources, and Environmental Protection, Republic of Zambia)

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Session 4

In terms of the distribution of the forest types in general, as you can see, most of it isbasically Miombo. We have the other type of forests on the western side, in the valleys we have theMopane.

In terms of what drives deforestation, there are a number of factors, but the main ones arebasically agriculture, infrastructure development, and charcoal production. Charcoal production inmost areas is considered to be probably a source for forest degradation, but in the Zambian context it
has changed a bit. People will claim they want land for agriculture, but once they are given the land,
maybe two hectares, three hectares, they will clear the whole area, manufacture the charcoal and thenleave the land and look for more land somewhere else. It is a big business back home.

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From this land-cover map for 2010, you can see that, in terms of agriculture activities, if you
look at trend, it is basically linear from the south going to the north. That is where the railway line passand that corridor is referred to as the ‘Line of Rail’. That is where the big towns are. That is where
the main industrial area is and that is where the population is high.

You find that agriculture is basicallylocated more like in the center, moving from the south up to the north, and part of eastern province
where also the population is high.
This, of course, we may say agriculture, but it is a combination also with charcoal, because forZambia, only about 22% of the Zambian population has access to hydropower, the main source ofenergy. Rest use either firewood or charcoal, especially in the towns.

Linking REDD+ with SFM: The REDD+ Readiness Process in Zambia,
Mr. Deuteronomy Kasaro (REDD+ Coordination Unit, Ministry of Lands,
Natural Resources, and Environmental Protection, Republic of Zambia)

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Session 4

Now comparing it to REDD+ and sustainable forest management, the definitions are there.
I think over the years we have been looking at these two issues. In addressing these, which basically aredefined by those two aspects, I think we have seen these in the other presentations, so I do not have toexplain it.
But the approach we have taken in Zambia is that both are coordinated from the forestry
department.

In terms of the REDD process, the Forestry Department is leading the process. Then

we have also another program that is running at the same time with the REDD readiness process, whichis the forest inventory basically for the whole country. These two programs are coordinated from theforest department. It is helping to try and provide more information on what is needed for us tomanage the forests sustainably.

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I am sure these issues have been discussed in the area presentations on the principles, scopeof REDD, and the Safeguards.

The UN-REDD Program is a three-year program. It is ending this year, and this within theMinistry of Lands, Natural Resources, and Environment Protection.

Linking REDD+ with SFM: The REDD+ Readiness Process in Zambia,
Mr. Deuteronomy Kasaro (REDD+ Coordination Unit, Ministry of Lands,
Natural Resources, and Environmental Protection, Republic of Zambia)

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Session 4

The objectives of the program are to build capacity; to develop enabling a policy
environment; then develop benefit-sharing models; and then, of course, MRV development.
Then we have ILUA1, which is Integrated Land Use Assessment. This program is supportedby the Government of Finland through the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
It is generating data for the whole country. We are using these two programs to make decisions on
how best to manage the forests in the country.

Basically, there was a forest inventory that was undertaken in 2005 to 2008, which was called
ILUA I. Then we have now ILUA II, which started last year and it is ending in 2015. The design, as
you may see, is different. The initial one was basically uniform and we got the data and analyzed it.
This time we tried to stratify the forest types considering other things as well to try and generate datathat will be very helpful for the process of planning and managing the forests, as well as responding tothe needs of REDD.

1

Integrated Land Use Assessment

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In terms of the REDD process, we have a strategy that we are developing, which we areaiming to conclude by June this year. The strategy is based on the analytical work that has already been
completed, and would deal with drivers, the strategic options, scenarios and targets, investment plans,social and environmental safeguards, then financing mechanism, and governance measures. These areissues that we will try to address in the document as well as the national forest monitoring system as one
to put together something that we will able to monitor later on.

The process that we have used in moving with the REDD process is that we started withanalytical work, and from this analytical work now we are going into identifying the issues and options
that can help us deal with the scope of REDD. Then we defined the roles of the different institutions,
we set the national vision, and of course we have the document itself. It has been a participatory
approach, quite interactive with the different sectors in Zambia.

Linking REDD+ with SFM: The REDD+ Readiness Process in Zambia,
Mr. Deuteronomy Kasaro (REDD+ Coordination Unit, Ministry of Lands,
Natural Resources, and Environmental Protection, Republic of Zambia)

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Session 4

So far what we have we achieved? In terms of drivers of deforestation, we have done astudy that is detailed in terms of what drives deforestation in Zambia, and then we have also done aneconomic evaluation of that. That is the background information for this strategy.
We have also done land cover mapping. We are hoping that, by June this year, all this work
can be put together and come up with this strategy that can inform everyone who would want to do anyactivity.
I heard from the previous presentation about Landsat. We have been using Landsat, andthere is now a decision that, for the purpose of just understating what happened last year in 2013, close
to the year we are doing the strategy, we can still do 2013 just to see if there could be some changes
there.
The forest monitoring system is based on a decentralized system. This decentralized systemis that we have 10 provinces and we have put up GIS2 units in all the 10 provinces, and then one atnational level. The idea is that, for people to appreciate a problem, they must be the ones doing thereporting or collecting the data. They will appreciate more than if you just tell them the data you aregenerating.
2

It is a decentralized system.

Geographical Information System

Apart from that, we have done other studies just to help us

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inform the forest monitoring system.

We have also developed a web portal with a Wiki; those two things together.

That is how it looks. There is different information that you can get from this website. It
is still being developed, but I am very sure by mid of this year we should be able to launch it.

Linking REDD+ with SFM: The REDD+ Readiness Process in Zambia,
Mr. Deuteronomy Kasaro (REDD+ Coordination Unit, Ministry of Lands,
Natural Resources, and Environmental Protection, Republic of Zambia)

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The aim is that this will be available at every level with those GIS units, and then the districts,
they will be able to get into this, get the information, even the trends of deforestation, and be able toprint even at district level so that they can participate in the making of decisions.
The changes will be done at the district level. They report to the national level. The
national level makes the changes after verification, and then we move on like that so that everyone isparticipating.

Linking REDD+ with SFM: The REDD+ Readiness Process in Zambia,
Mr. Deuteronomy Kasaro (REDD+ Coordination Unit, Ministry of Lands,
Natural Resources, and Environmental Protection, Republic of Zambia)

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And then the other part is the component of governance. We have done the governance tounderstand the various actors, the rules and practices, as well as accountability, coordination, capacity,transparency, and participation.
We have completed all of these studies, and now it is just drafting what we will call a strategy.

With what we have done, the work ahead is basically to identify the actual actions we need toDAY1
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undertake. We have not spread our resources by having different people doing different things. We
have tried to work together to see that we can have a national vision.

The roadmap is we are going to have an ‘Issues and Options Report’ that will explain thedecisions that are been taken and why those decisions have been taken. We will use this document
now to discuss and engage the different actors in Zambia.

The challenges are there. Conceptual Issues: what is REDD? I think, as we started, now it
is like we are trying to come together on what REDD is all about, but it was a big problem initially.
There was a mix up of really what REDD was, and this tended to slow down the process.

Theprogram designs itself: sometimes there was too much ambition over it, and you ended up putting things
that you think you can do, but was difficult. Human and institutional capacity: we are dealing withgovernments and the UN system.

Putting the systems together was quite a challenge, but I think wehave moved very well.
Of course, the other point is the staff. I work for government. The coordination unit is in
the government, and we are attached to this process. Although it is a government process, some

Linking REDD+ with SFM: The REDD+ Readiness Process in Zambia,
Mr. Deuteronomy Kasaro (REDD+ Coordination Unit, Ministry of Lands,
Natural Resources, and Environmental Protection, Republic of Zambia)

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Session 4

stakeholders felt that it was supposed to be independent, although the question was, independent fromwhom? It is just a joint program for all stakeholders.

Lastly, in terms of lessons that we have learned: we should avoid over-ambitious program
and that REDD cannot solve all the problems. Let it solve what it can. The forest resource and therelated livelihood programs, can it solve those things? Unlike a situation where we think REDD isgoing to develop a particular country.

REDD is an incentive based program. Therefore, we must bevery careful on how we explain it to people so that we do not expect over-expectations. We need todevolve the financial and program management to the implementing agencies. This way there will bethat stewardship that will be developed.

We have to support the mainstreaming of REDD. It is not a

program on its own. Everyone can do REDD. I know there are technical issues and other things, butI think it is a responsibility of everyone to do something to enhance forests cover.

Then there is aneed to enhance the capacity of people. Of course, we have to look at the past for us to view that onthe future. It means that the gains that we have done in the past, the lessons we have learned in thepast should help build REDD for the future.