Lusaka, Zambia/Africa – The Community Markets for Conservation (COMACO) is enabling a multimillion-dollar carbon credit payment to nine chiefdoms of Zambia in recognition for their conservation efforts and the reduced emissions of CO₂ they have achieved.

With support from Shell and the Zambian government, COMACO has successfully completed the verification of 0.9 million tons of carbon credits forthe nine chiefdom areas who have managed to keep their customary land protected from destructive practices. The chiefdoms include Magodi, Zumwanda, Chikomeni, Mwasemphangwe, Nyamphande, Chikulwe, Jumbe, Mwape, and Luembe.

Another 19 chiefdoms from Zambia’s Eastern Province, will soon be receiving similar payments in the coming months for their conservation services, with an additional 16 chiefdoms from other provinces like Muchinga and Central Province also on course to receive their payments.

“Small-scale farmers can play an important role to save our planet from the growing threat of global warming.  In Zambia they are proving this to be true with reaping the benefits of removing up to 0.9 million tons of greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere, while practicing sustainable agriculture.  In the next couple of years, we expect this number to more than double. This is an historic achievement and one that the world should take note of.” COMACO CEO and Founder Dale Lewis said.

Over the past 8 years, farmers who joined COMACO have adopted a farming practice resulting in the planting of over 200 million tree species called Gliricidia sepium that feed crops key nutrients to produce nutritious, chemical-free foods, a good portion of which end up in stores under the brand It’s Wild!

COMACO’s small-scale farmers comply with the conservation practices and undertake the hard work of establishing tree nurseries, planting the trees in their fields, and ensuring their survival.  These trees employ nature-based technologies at no cost to farmers that recycle soil nutrients for greatly improved yields that also replace the need for expensive, emission-causing fertilizers, giving farmers increased incomes and long-lasting healthy soils.

That these same trees are storing carbon in the soil means Zambia now has at its fingertips a win-win solution for saving its forests, vitalizing rural economies around nature-based solutions for farming, and having access to lucrative carbon markets for doing so.