RESILIENT AQUATIC FOOD SYSTEMS (RAqFS) FOR HEALTHY PEOPLE AND PLANET. STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT WORKSHOP REPORT - ZAMBIA

The report describes the stakeholder engagement workshop convened to introduce the AqF Initiative (in particular the AquaPlans work package) to the traditional leaders, community representatives and stakeholders working within the Kafue flats. Participants were drawn from Royal Highnesses from seven chiefdoms of the Kafue flats, Community resource Board representatives, development agencies, extension officers from government line ministries, NGOs and the academia

AICCRA Country Scaling Vision: Zambia

AICCRA Zambia emphasizes integrating climate information services (CIS) into the CSA bundles as it is a necessary condition to enhance the scaling to be best-fitted to specific contexts, thereby strengthening the relevance of the CSA-CIS bundles. Adaptive scaling approach is selected for such best-fit and relevance to the contexts while enabling the agri-food system transformation as illustrated in Figure 1. Adaptive scaling is ˝processes where diverse actors-networks cooperate, feed off, adapt to, support, compete and interact with each other to form mechanisms and undertake the niche, reach, accelerate and transform functions of the scaling ecosystem˝ (adapted from IWMI, 2021). In the niche, actor networks identify the applicability of the innovation, respond to systemic barriers and opportunities, and adapt the innovation to new contexts

AICCRA Zambia Additional Finance Stakeholder Consultation Report

This report presents the outcomes of Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa (AICCRA) Zambia Stakeholder Consultation Workshop for Additional Financing (AF). The consultation was held on September 21, 2023, from 09:00 to 14:00 CAT at the Inter-Continental Hotel, Lusaka. In total, 100 participants (31 females and 14 youth) participated in the consultation. The objectives of the stakeholder consultation were to: i) update and inform stakeholders about the AICCRA program; ii) inform partners and stakeholders about the continuation of financing and the rational for AICCRA’s AF, including the new orientations and increased ambitions; and iii) collect inputs and feedback from stakeholders to consolidate into the AICCRA AF proposal

Resilient Aquatic Food Systems Initiative Launch in Zambia: work package 5 Technologies Assessment

The Resilient Aquatic Food Systems Initiatives (RAqFS) focuses on research-for development to catalyze the scaling of transformative innovations, policies and approaches to support aquatic foods in delivering more sustainable and healthy diets and livelihoods within planetary boundaries by 2030. RAqFS works through five Work Packages bundled together to deliver socio-technical innovations and policy actions that deliver benefits to all five One CGIAR Impact Areas. Apart from WP1 (which includes Kenya and Malawi), RAqFS works mainly in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Ghana, India, Myanmar, Nigeria, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste and Zambia. The RAqFS Initiative seeks to achieve five Initiative outcomes: as follows: 1. Scaling partners and stakeholders in 11 countries use data to inform at least five evidence-based investments supporting AqFs transformation. 2. Secure rights bring livelihood benefits for 100,000 small-scale actors in AqFs in Asia-Pacific and more nutritious diets for 700,000 people. 3. GESI strategies to enhance food, livelihood, and water use outcomes in multifunctional land- and waterscapes adopted by stakeholders in two Asian and two African countries. 4. At least two tilapia, carp and catfish strains demonstrate increased productivity (+30%) and better environmental performance (-25% GHG emission reduction) in one African and two Asian countries. 5. Aquatic food system labs in three countries increase national innovation systems’ ability to identify, evaluate and scale socio-technical Innovations Packages. This report focuses on a workshop conducted to conduct a scaling readiness assessment for five innovations that were identified for scaling in Zambia under WorkPackage 5 during the launch of the Resilient Aquatic Food Systems Initiative

Sensory Panel Results of a Dried Fish Powder Supplement among Caregivers and Young Children in Zambia

Abstract Objective: To evaluate the acceptability of traditional Zambian dishes fortified with Complementary Food for Africa+Dried Fish Powder (ComFA+Fish), a locally sourced protein/micronutrient blend designed to impact nutrient deficiencies among infants and young children (IYC) and improve pregnancy and birth outcomes among women of reproductive age (WRA). Design: During two sensory panels, caregivers evaluated 1) the acceptability of four ComFA+Fish dishes for household consumption, including fortified chibwabwa fisashi, savory Kapenta chutney, fortified complementary maize porridge, and fortified bean-vegetable soup; and 2) whether their IYC found the fortified complementary maize porridge acceptable. Setting: Lake Kariba, Southern Province, Zambia. Participants: Women of reproductive age (N=42) and their IYC aged 6-11 months (n=16) and 12-23 months (n=26) were recruited from fishing villages in Gwembe, Siavonga, and Sinazongwe District. Results: A majority of caregivers extremely liked/liked the: 1) fortified chibwabwa fisashi’s sensory attributes (94.7%) convenience (92.8%) and overall acceptability (100%); 2) savory Kapenta chutney’s sensory attributes (81.8%), convenience (92.8%) and overall acceptability (100%); 3) fortified complementary porridge’s sensory attributes (83.5%), convenience (90.5%) and overall acceptability (88.1%); and 4) fortified bean-vegetable soup’s sensory attributes (66.8%), convenience (87.5%) and overall acceptability (87.5%). Further, a majority of caregivers evaluated the fortified complementary porridge as highly acceptable to their IYC. Conclusions: Results suggest that ComFA+Fish is strategically well-placed to fill nutritional gaps among IYC and WRA in Zambia and has the potential to be scaled across sub-Saharan Africa