The project sets out to meet challenges of complex interventions which includes all the causes of inadequate access to sources of livelihood in Southern Province, Zambia. The project focuses on 3 750 vulnerable households (22 500 individuals) and will be implemented in Kalomo, which is one of the 13 districts in the province. The main agricultural sources of livelihood in the province is corn, sunflower, peanuts, sweet potatoes, beans, soybeans, wheat, fruit and vegetables. The district of Kalomo also has a significant cattle breeding industry. Despite its agricultural potential, the agricultural sector in the district faces quite a few challenges, including climate change impacts, environment degradation, weak supply coordination and malnutrition. The project will ensure alternative and mutually-complementing agricultural methods for communities in five selected district of Kalomo. These will be sustainable and will help to build community resilience against climate and economic shocks while also providing food security. The project will support the diversification of agricultural production and rural region development by increasing resilience of small farmers and vulnerable communities with focus on mitigating drought impacts, supporting diversified, resilient and sustainable livelihoods and improving community management of forests, protected areas and municipal pastures. The project strategy includes the support of agricultural production, better access to long-term weather forecasts, education about climate change, protection of forests and water sources, improvement of charcoal production management, cattle breeding and pastures and water sources management.

Impoverishment and malnutrition of communities dependent on agriculture is often caused by inequality: between men and women, between people who have access to certain sources and those who do not. Many of the farmers struggle with the cultivation or purchase of enough nutritious food due to soil degradation, lack of water, lack of assortment on the market or lack of finances. Often, these farmers do not have a stable access to the soil, either in the form of ownership or lease, nor have they access to financial or consulting services, weather forecast, storage capacities or market access. Agricultural methods for crop growing or cattle breeding are not sustainable from the long-term perspective. Despite all this, small-scale farmers have the potential to play an instrumental role in securing a sustainable source of production of nutritious food for personal, local, regional and state-wide needs.