FMNR Champion Leads Her Village in Land Restoration

By Agatha Mali, Communications, Zambia

In the once-barren land of Katete District, in Kalonga Gawa Undi’s chiefdom in eastern Zambia, a quiet transformation is taking root thanks to the determination of Evelyn Mwansa, whose new passion is to embrace and preserve nature.

Evelyn Mwansa, a 46-year-old mother of five, has become a beacon of environmental change through her work in Farmer-Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR), a simple yet powerful land restoration technique she learned through training provided by World Vision.

For years, Evelyn and her community struggled with declining crop yields, eroded soils, and the loss of tree cover.
“We used to cut down trees for firewood, charcoal, and farming without thinking about tomorrow,” Evelyn recalls. “Our land became dry, and the rains became unpredictable. That affected our harvest.”

In 2023, Evelyn was among 100 people selected by World Vision to participate in FMNR training in her village. The training opened her eyes to a method that didn’t require expensive equipment, just knowledge, commitment, and a willingness to protect what nature had already provided.

“I learned that we didn’t need to plant new trees,” she says. “The roots were already there, we just had to allow them to grow again.”

Evelyn became one of the early adopters in her community. She began by identifying and protecting tree stumps in her fields, selectively pruning and nurturing shoots to naturally regenerate trees. The results were visible within a season:, cooler soil temperatures, improved crop performance, and the return of small wildlife.

But Evelyn didn’t stop at her own farm. Inspired by the change she witnessed, she began teaching fellow community members, holding informal sessions under the shade of newly regenerated trees. Today, over 25 households in her area have embraced FMNR, collectively restoring more than 54 hectares of degraded land.

Through the training provided by World Vision, Evelyn and her community have also learned to use small branches of wood more effectively whether for fuel, fencing, or other daily needs without damaging the regrowing trees.

Thanks to Evelyn’s leadership, the community has not only restored trees but also revived a traditional respect for nature.
“We’ve seen the streams come back. Our maize fields are yielding better. Even firewood is now easier to collect without destroying our future,” she says proudly.

World Vision continues to support Evelyn and other community champions by providing follow-up training, tools, and connecting them to broader networks of FMNR practitioners. Evelyn now dreams of establishing a local FMNR training centre so future generations can grow up in a greener, more resilient Zambia.

“We used to see trees mainly as something to burn for charcoal. Now, we see them as something to protect because they give us shade, fresh air, mushrooms, and fruits for our families.”