Beginning in 2025, In But Free, with support from JAC Trust, launched the Climate-Smart Agriculture Project at Meheba Refugee Settlement in Northwestern Province. Home to over 34,000 people, Meheba is the largest refugee settlement in Zambia and faces persistent challenges of food insecurity driven by droughts, depleted soils, limited farming technologies, and restricted livelihood opportunities for both refugees and host communities.
The CSA Project responds to these challenges by equipping households with practical training in conservation farming, agroforestry, horticulture, and biogas production. Beneficiaries are organised into groups that cultivate shared gardens, access farming inputs, and strengthen market linkages to increase food availability and income generation. As part of its innovation, the project also pilots biogas digesters, reducing reliance on firewood while providing renewable cooking energy and organic fertiliser for agriculture. In addition, the initiative promotes afforestation and sustainable land management, ensuring environmental protection while fostering stronger social cohesion between refugees and their host communities.