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Good practice Imported

Zambian Breweries–WWF Kafue & Magoye Watershed Stewardship Partnership

Zambia · Mazabuka · See the Zambia profile

Evidence: Descriptive / self-reported Top 90% 27/100 · Ask Evidence Copilot about this practice

Since 2018, Zambian Breweries (AB InBev) and WWF Zambia have run a phased water partnership in the Kafue basin, now in a third phase (Nov 2023) restoring the Magoye tributary via reforestation and farmer-led regeneration, targeting better water quality and quantity by 2025.

Zambian Breweries–WWF Kafue & Magoye Watershed Stewardship Partnership

Details

Maturity
Scaling
Promoter
Zambian Breweries Plc (AB InBev) / WWF Zambia
Period
2018-present
Keywords
brewing, watershed conservation, farmer-managed natural regeneration, catchment protection

Context

The Kafue River is Zambia's most economically important waterway, supplying water, hydropower and irrigation for millions of people, but a 2018 WWF assessment warned that deforestation, erosion and unsustainable farming were degrading the basin, including the Magoye tributary in Zambia's Southern Province.

Activities

Since 2018, Zambian Breweries (a subsidiary of AB InBev) has partnered with WWF Zambia on water stewardship in the Kafue basin, supporting reforestation, soil and water conservation, farmer-managed and assisted natural regeneration, and community engagement. A third phase, announced in November 2023 and targeted for completion by 2025, focuses specifically on revitalising the Magoye River and includes plans for monitoring water quality, biodiversity and community wellbeing with local research institutions.

Results

Public reporting describes activities and objectives in detail but does not yet publish hectare totals, tree counts, or measured water-quality or water-quantity changes.

Conclusions

The programme's on-the-ground outcomes remain to be independently verified against its stated 2025 target.

Implementation
Indicative cost
Medium (€50k–€500k) — No public budget figures disclosed; funded jointly by Zambian Breweries (AB InBev) as corporate sponsor and WWF Zambia as NGO implementer.
Time to results
Medium (1–3 years) — Partnership running since 2018; third phase announced November 2023, targeted for completion by 2025.
Staffing & skills
WWF Zambia programme team, Zambian Breweries/AB InBev corporate sustainability team, local research institutions (monitoring partners, phase 3)

Conditions for success

  • Corporate water-stewardship funding tied to shared catchment risk (the brewery depends on the same water source)
  • Phased, multi-year partnership structure (now in its third phase)

Common failure modes

  • No published hectare, tree-count or water-quality metrics to verify claimed impact ahead of the 2025 target
  • Reliance on company/NGO self-reporting rather than independent monitoring

Where it fits

Governance type
corporate-NGO watershed partnership
Scale
sub-catchment (Magoye tributary within the Kafue basin)
Income level
lower-middle-income

Commonly funded by

Philanthropic / foundation funding Own resources / municipal budget

Indicative funding routes for practices of this type — always check each programme's current calls and eligibility rules.

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Data sources

Where this practice's information was retrieved from, and when.

Attachments

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