Shezongo Community Conservation Area (SCCA) is a 3400ha community reserve, directly adjacent to the Kafue National Park in Senior Chief Shezongo’s Chiefdom in the Southern Province of Zambia.

SCCA is a joint partnership between Community Conservation (NPO), the Shezongo Traditional Leadership and Community Resource Board. Adansonia Farm, a private 325ha farm is embedded in this area and is signatory to SCCA.

Ecologically, SCCA is a significant component of the greater Kafue drainage system. It provides a direct link between the high lying Kafue National Park and the basin in the Kafue Flats. This water system is both economically and socially important as it combines to provide Lusaka, the countries capital, with its potable water.

Floristically, it is an ecotone between Miombo Woodland and Climax Mopane, that is interspersed by seasonally flooded grasslands on nutrient rich clay soils. This habitat provides a home to free-roaming lion, wild dog, leopard, cheetah, hyena, elephant, hippo, and buffalo as well as large antelope species such sable, roan, defassa waterbuck, and eland. These mammals are reclusive and the hope is that with greater protection, they will relax and provide for excellent game viewing. The birdlife is exceptional, due to the variety of microhabitats, rich soils and abundant water.

Conservation & Community Highlights:

1. SCCA is a community conservation area legally owned by the Shezongo Traditional Leadership and the Community. They are the direct beneficiaries.
2. Enterprise activities provide employment directly and indirectly to the community while producing economically valuable ecosystem goods and services.
3. SCCA is an important component of the Kafue Hydrological System, a nationally important water resource.
4. It is home to endangered species including Wild Dog and Cheetah, while Lion, Leopard and Elephant frequent the property.

Future Aims:

1. Finalise the SCCA Agreement and form the Management Board
2. Management Planning and Land Use Planning of SCCA (and potentially Bilili Springs GMA)
3. Gazetting of SCCA as a CCA under the Zambian Wildlife Act
4. Establishing income streams, both through donors and conventional business enterprises
5. Conventional enterprises to focus on ecosystem goods – e.g. honey, baobab fruit, sustainably harvested game meat
6. Innovative financing through NFTs, carbon and biodiversity credits

Images provided.