AEDS team conducted a comprehensive feasibility study as a Food Security and Livelihoods Specialist engaged by Save the Children International, providing technical leadership to the development of a Green Climate Fund (GCF) funding proposal entitled “AY4SF – Adolescents and Youth for a Sustainable Future: Strengthening Climate Change Adaptation and Community Resilience through Green Jobs in Zimbabwe” (2024–2025).

The feasibility study applied an integrated technical, environmental, socio-economic, and institutional assessment framework to determine the viability and sustainability of proposed climate adaptation interventions. The analysis specifically addressed local climate adaptation planning processes, the feasibility of nature-based solutions (NbS) for restoring degraded landscapes, and the applicability of climate-smart agriculture (CSA) techniques for enhancing productivity, resilience, and ecosystem services in climate-vulnerable areas.

In addition, the study assessed green business and employment opportunities suitable for adolescents and youth, including value chains linked to sustainable land management, biodiversity conservation, ecosystem restoration, and climate-resilient agri-food systems. Market analysis, cost-benefit considerations, and risk assessments were undertaken to evaluate the economic viability, scalability, and inclusiveness of these green livelihood pathways.

The feasibility assessment incorporated land degradation and climate risk analyses, examining their socio-economic impacts on food security, livelihoods, and youth employment, and identifying priority intervention zones for sustainable landscape management. It further reviewed institutional capacities, governance arrangements, and monitoring and evaluation frameworks, ensuring alignment with national climate policies, youth strategies, and regional adaptation objectives.

Outputs from the feasibility study directly informed intervention prioritisation, investment logic, sustainability measures, and monitoring indicators, and contributed to the development of a robust, bankable funding proposal submitted to the GCF.

Reference: Dr Byron Zamasiya, Project Coordinator, Save the Children International byron.zamasiya@savethechildren.org