Institutionalising Resilience: Effectiveness of Post Project Sustainability Measures in the Transforming Landscapes for Resilience and Development (TRALARD) Project

Abstract

Most community-led development interventions, implemented at high cost, tend to falter once external donor support concludes. This lack of post-project implementation sustainability significantly undermines the goal of creating long-term resilience and adaptive capacity against climate-induced shocks. Using the Transforming Landscapes for Resilience and Development (TRALARD) Project as a case study, this study investigated the effectiveness of post-project sustainability measures in community-driven climate adaptation initiatives in Zambia. Specifically, it identified sustainability measures, evaluated their effectiveness, and determined the critical success factors for project survival. Using a cross-sectional design and mixed methods approach, data were collected from 130 project beneficiaries and 10 key informants in Mbala, Zambia via questionnaire survey and key informant interviews. The findings indicate that while the project integrated core measures, such as decentralised institutional arrangements and the establishment of Project Management Committees (PMCs), their long-term efficacy is mixed. Binary logistic regression analysis revealed that the continued commitment of camp and district-level staff to provide technical support is the most significant positive predictor of sub-project sustainability. Conversely, the commitment of PMCs showed a statistically significant negative association with sustainability (Odds Ratio 0.055), pointing to challenges related to elite capture and local governance failure. Furthermore, the study highlights a critical vulnerability: the cessation of donor funding often halts technical backstopping because government resources are insufficient to cover operational costs. The study concludes that sustaining climate adaptation benefits requires more than just community ownership; it demands a guaranteed long-term financial commitment from government line ministries to facilitate continued technical support after the project closes.