Zambia Empowers Youth as Forest Champions Through AIM4Forests Initiative
The Ministry of Youth, Sport and Arts, in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), has launched the AIM4Forests Young Champions Initiative with a three-day workshop aimed at promoting youth-led forest conservation in Zambia.
Ten young Zambians were selected from a pool of 385 applicants to be trained as Forest Champions under the FAO’s global AIM4Forests programme, which was first launched in Kenya in 2024 and now includes Uganda, Ghana, Paraguay, and Zambia.
Speaking on behalf of Permanent Secretary Mr. Kangwa Chileshe, Acting Youth Director Ms. Mable Beene Nedziwe said the programme marks a milestone in Zambia’s environmental and youth empowerment agenda.
She said the initiative aligns with Zambia’s 2024 National Youth Policy, which emphasizes the importance of youth participation in environmental protection.
“These young leaders will become catalysts of forest restoration and sustainable management in their communities,” Ms. Nedziwe said.
FAO Representative Ms. Suze Percy-Filippini, through remarks delivered by Ms. Eva Ntara, highlighted the significance of youth involvement in achieving Zambia’s target to restore 9 million hectares of forest under the AFR100 Initiative.
She pointed to Kenya’s example, where 10 young women involved in the programme engaged over 10,000 people and planted more than 150,000 trees in a year.
“The workshop is a platform to build skills, share knowledge, and inspire action,” Ms. Ntara said.
The Ministry and FAO also acknowledged the support of the Forestry Department, expressing hope that the initiative will foster lasting youth leadership in climate resilience and forest conservation.
