INTRODUCTION
Zambia is gifted with vast natural resources that are essential in maintaining a balance in the ecosystem and providing a natural habitat for the wide variety of animal species and mankind. When harnessed properly and more effectively, the vast land can be a great resource in contributing to job creation, tourism, poverty reduction and livelihood support for the majority of people. The aforementioned would help maintain a social and economic balance and contribute to national development. Thus this work seeks to explain the drivers and implications of highly productive agricultural land to built-up areas
Deforestation is a major factor which has led to soil erosion, siltation of lakes, rivers, and dams and other water bodies, loss of biodiversity and animal habitat and eventually climate change.
DEFINITION OF TERMS
A driver is any factor that influences changes to occur. Drivers include; human populations, economic development, science and technology, religion and culture, poverty to mention but a few. (Randall, 2015). Implications are conclusions that can be drawn from something. Furthermore, conversion of agricultural highly productive land to built-up areas is the permanent destruction of forests in order to make the land available for other uses such as industries, roads and cities. The aforementioned lead to several imbalances ecologically as well as environmentally (Kambani, 2000).
DEscriptION OF LUSAKA
Lusaka is the capital city of Zambia .It is also the largest city of Zambia and one of the fastest developing cities in Southern Africa. It has an elevation of 1,279 meters and as of 2010, a population of about 1.7 million. The city has a mixture of both educated and uneducated people. Furthermore, it has high traffic of immigrants due to the numerous developmental projects that take place in area. It is this rapid urbanization that is heaping pressure on the limited infrastructure in the (City Central Statistical Office, 2011).
DRIVERS OF ECOSYSTEM CHANGE
DEMOGRAPHIC FACTOR
Forests are home to a lot of species. They help mitigate the impacts of global warming and also play an important role in the water recycle process. Additionally, forests provide precious wood for furniture, lumber and also provide jobs and income for those that live around them (World Wide Fund). Despite the benefits derived from forests, the demographic factor disadvantages forests. When there are too many people living in a certain locality, more resources are spent. A high demand but low supply of goods and services prompts people to migrate in search of better living conditions. People are crowded in Lusaka due to the fact that there is infrastructure development and more opportunities to make money. Land is needed to construct houses to live in and therefore people start to cut down trees to build them. Lusaka has a lot of illegal settlements. Examples of such areas are Chawama Compound, Jack Compound and John Howard to mention but a few. Some of the aforementioned settlements are even constructed in areas where roads are supposed to be constructed.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Economic or infrastructure development is another underlying cause of conversion of agricultural productive land to built-up areas. Economic incentives make forest conversion appear more profitable than forest conservation (Chipungu, 1994). There is substantial increase in the demand for forest land. The increased income among sections of society also increases demand for food, modern housing, furniture and clothing. The aforementioned prompts the creation of factories and industries which require that trees and grass are cut down in order to be constructed. Examples of industries in Lusaka include; Nasla Industries, Lafarge, Camco Zambia, Manzi Valley amongst many others. In order to make economic activities easier to carry out, the state ventures into the construction of more roads as well as shopping malls which all make forest conservation impossible.
CORRUPTION AND WEAK LAW ENFORCEMENT
Corruption and weak enforcement of laws also contributes to the conversion of agricultural land into built up areas (Ambuku, 1991). This is the case as some criminals involved in illegal land allocation are often connected to higher political and bureaucratic levels therefore, chargers against them is weakened. One of the impacts of weak law enforcements is the unplanned settlements as earlier mentioned the preceding paragraphs.
POVERTY, UNEMPLOYMENT AND ILLITERACY
In addition, Poverty and unemployment are a big challenge in achieving sustainability. Poor and uneducated people usually resort to easier means of income generation. In Lusaka many poor people have identified quarrying as a very profitable venture and hence do illegal quarrying as a business. Labonne & Gilman (1999) indicated that it is quite difficult to regulate the problem as a lot of factors are associated with it. Due to over population in Lusaka, it is difficult for the government to employ a lot of individuals and this also includes educated ones. This means that they too join the long list of the unemployed. Investors usually come into the country with the aim of providing youth empowerment for the unemployed youths and in the process at times set up built structures in order to offer training as well as funding to such youths. The aforementioned leaves areas that can be used to grow agricultural produce degraded.
HUNGER FOR KNOWLEDGE (EDUCATION)
Science and technology has changed the mindset of many individuals. It makes people able to interpret complex information and communicate with people from all backgrounds (Munthari, 2011). Because of such interactions, many begin to desire to be educated. They understand that only education can help alleviate poverty and help them achieve their goals. Zambia as a state too recognizes the importance of education and as such accommodates it in the national budget. Due to the high population of people, there is need to construct more schools in order to accommodate everyone as education is one of the rights that humans have. In the process of meeting this need, a lot of agricultural land is degraded.

IMPLICATIONS OF ECOSYSTEM CHANGE
ECOLOGICAL IMBALANCE
Trees release water vapor in the air and also provide the required shade that keeps the soil moist. Once cut down this leads to the inequity in the atmospheric temperature further making conditions for the ecology difficult. The aforementioned results into global warming and climate change. Chongwe district (which is part of Lusaka Province) has been affected by climate change impacts in different ways. Specifically, the community has been affected by climate change in the environmental sector by altering various geographical and environmental conditions within the community. Recent studies with specific focus on Zambia (of which Chongwe is part of) reviewed that climate change impacts, particularly from flash floods and droughts have caused serious damage to crops and infrastructure (GRZ, 2010). Other effects of climate change include: Increase in food prices and tension between producers and consumers as food security is affected, and social unrest and considerable pressures on government to stop the decline in production.

DISTURBANCE IN HYDROLOGICAL SYSTEMS
The hydrological systems are also among the key biophysical environmental features affected by climate change impacts. The Lusaka community is well endowed with abundant fresh water systems that save for multi- purpose livelihood needs within the community. Chongwe district for example has a well-drained river that runs in almost every part of its territories (GRZ, 2010). In light with climate change impacts, the hydrology of the community is seen to be affected in many ways that affected the hydrology distributions and volume. Effects of climate change impacts in the community have been viewed through the drying up of several streams, and other small river basins within the community.

MEASURES TO BE ADOPTED
The Lusaka City Council (LCC) will launch radio and television programs in both English and Local Languages for spreading information regarding the benefits obtained from forests such as fruits and honey (goods) and services such as water and air purification. Seminars and workshops will also be conducted. In these settings, land owners and users in Lusaka will be informed about the benefits of conservation farming and dangers associated with conversion of agricultural land to built up areas (Chileshe, 2001).
Another strategy that LCC will work at Implementing in Lusaka is the application of environmental law and policies. It can be contended that enhancing the change of behavior in people requires some legal elements. This is because law and policies carry powers that could enable people to change their behavior. Schauer (2015) views this legitimizing power of law as creating a culture of compliance.
To effectively use strategy, LCC will work with forestry regulatory authorities. For example, the Zambia Environmental Management Agency (ZEMA), the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, the Ministry of Lands, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection and other line ministries. In these forestry regulatory authorities, LCC will help not only in the formulation of new regulations and policies but in addressing the loopholes in the existing regulations and policies that relate to deforestation (Hamilton, 2000).
Engaging Lusaka residents in community forestry projects is another strategy to enhance behavioural change. For example LCC will engage Lusaka residents in projects of tree planting and conservation, planning and decision making in deforestation policy formulation. It will engage senior citizens of Lusaka such as counsellors, chiefs and chairmen in community forestry project. These are the people who have influence in the society hence they can influence residents to actively participate (Dunlap, 1989).

REFERENCES
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