The Southern African Science Service Centre for Climate Change and Adaptive Land Management (SASSCAL) will be hosting a SASSCAL 2.0 Research Programme Thematic Workshop at the in Lusaka, Zambia as from the 20th to 21st of May 2025.
After successfully holding similar workshops in Angola, Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa, SASSCAL has shown its strong commitment to working with different stakeholders and finding better ways to deal with climate change through the implementation of 13 research projects in its member countries.
The Workshop in Zambia will be officiated by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Technology and Science (MoTS) – Zambia and will be held under the theme “Strengthening Climate Change Response through Scientific Research on Forest Ecosystems, Agriculture, and Water Resources”.
A key focus of the workshop will be to update stakeholders on the progress made by the SASSCAL 2.0 research projects. The event will also promote collaboration and stronger partnerships among stakeholders involved. Open discussions and working together to find common ground will guide the workshop, with the aim of connecting scientific research to real life solutions for climate change and managing natural resources.
Zambia serves as SASSCAL’s Centre of Excellence for Woodlands and Forestry and undertakes the following SASSCAL 2.0 research projects, including but not limited to:
- Sustainable Soil Fertility Management (ANGSOILS) at the University of Zambia, which focuses on improving soil health for better farming.
- Beekeeping and Honey Production Value Chain at Mulungushi University, aimed at building skills in beekeeping to help fight climate change.
- Enhanced Livelihoods and Natural Resources Management (ELNAC) at Copperbelt University, working to support communities affected by climate change.
- Food Security through Climate-Resilient Crops (FoSReCs) at the Zambia Agriculture Research Institute, helping small-scale farmers grow stronger crops like millet and sorghum alongside maize in Zambia and Namibia.
- Farmer Resilience and Melon Crop Diversity (FRAMe) at the University of Zambia, focusing on improving local melon varieties for better food security.
- Tipping Points Explained by Climate Change (TIPPECC) at the University of Zambia, which gathers data to help communities adapt to climate risks.
- Virtual Regional Pole of Engineering (VRPE) is also at the University of Zambia, supporting innovation and technical solutions for climate challenges.
At the end of the workshop, a comprehensive outcomes and key milestones report is expected to be produced. The report will provide the achievements, existing gaps, challenges and also identify opportunities that will amplify the research portfolio’s impact in Southern Africa.
Stakeholders expected to attend the event includes programmme beneficiaries, end users, students, academic institutions, government agencies and private sector stakeholders with a high stake and interest in climate change issues and solutions.
For more information about the workshop or SASSCAL’s programmes, please contact the Zambia National Node Office at chomba.chomba@sasscal.org or visit our website: www.sasscal.org
