Impact of the Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ) Climate Change Programme on Food Security in Zambia (Mobilizing Christian Communities for Climate Action)

Abstract

Climate change remains one of the most pressing threats to food security in Zambia, where the majority of households depend on small-scale, rain-fed agriculture for their livelihoods. Increasingly unpredictable rainfall patterns, prolonged droughts, sometimes even floods, and declining soil fertility have placed rural communities at sharp risk of food insecurity. In response to these challenges, the Council of Churches in Zambia (CCZ), with other faith-based organisations, has implemented a Climate Change Programme that seeks to strengthen community resilience through sustainable agricultural practices, environmental stewardship, and faith-based community mobilisation. This article analyses the impact of the CCZ Climate Change Programme on food security in selected communities in Zambia where CCZ is more active in its interventions. Furthermore, the study adopts a qualitative, descriptive research design, drawing on programme reports from the CCZ documents. The findings suggest that the CCZ programme has contributed to improved household food security through the promotion of climate-smart agriculture, conservation farming, crop diversification, and tree planting initiatives. Participants reported increased awareness of climate change impacts, improved farming practices, and greater capacity to adapt to climate-related threats such as erratic rainfall and seasonal droughts. A distinctive feature of the programme is its integration of theological reflection with practical development action. By framing environmental care as a Christian responsibility rooted in stewardship and care for creation, the CCZ programme fostered strong community participation and local ownership. Churches served not only as platforms for training and mobilization but also as trusted spaces where environmental awareness and food security concerns were openly discussed. The article concludes that the CCZ Climate Change Programme has had a meaningful impact on food security in Zambia by combining empirical development interventions with theological engagement. It recommends strengthening monitoring mechanisms, expanding partnerships, and scaling up successful practices to enhance long-term sustainability and resilience.