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AAAP in the Media

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Climate risk regulation in Africa’s financial sector and related private sector initiatives

Submitted by Trine Tvile on

Extreme weather phenomena such as rising temperatures and the increasing frequency of droughts and floods are affecting lives and livelihoods in Africa. According to the Global Climate Risk Index 2021,1 five African countries ranked among the 10 countries most affected by extreme weather in 2019: Mozambique (first), Zimbabwe (second), Malawi (fifth), South Sudan (eighth), and Niger (ninth).

Direct Access Modality to access the Green Climate Fund

Submitted by Trine Tvile on
Sector
Context

Africa is under-served by adaptation finance. Africa received USD 7.9 billion of an annual average of USD 46 billion in adaptation finance for 2019 and 2020. There is a large disparity between climate finance pledged, finance approved, and finance disbursed by the multilateral climate funds. As of January 2022, only 9.23% of global climate financing was earmarked for sub-Saharan Africa for adaptation purposes. Almost one third of the Green Climate Fund’s (GCF's) Direct Access Entities (DAEs) are in Africa, but only 11 out of 54 countries have at least one national accredited entity. DAEs are only accredited for projects with budgets below USD 50 million and are therefore limited in their ability to access funding for larger projects.

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Example results indicator
Development of a roadmap with key actions to prepare the full funding proposal
Objectives

This project will develop a concept note as a starting point for a full funding proposal to the GCF. To achieve this, actions will include a desk review of national climate-related development strategies and reference documents in the target country; identification of a promising project idea, in close collaboration with relevant stakeholders; and facilitation of a consultative workshop to discuss the project’s rationale, main intervention areas and implementation arrangements.

Through the Technical Assistance Program (TAP), the Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) will accelerate the mobilization of adaptation finance. Through the direct access modality, GCA will enhance local capacity to formulate robust concept notes for funding consideration by the Green Climate Fund.

AAAP added value

AAAP will support the climate risk assessment studies requested by the GCF.

Expected Outcomes
  • Four robust project/program concept notes and pipeline developed, for Burkina Faso, Democratic Republic of Congo, Niger and Nigeria.
  • For the Democratic Republic of Congo, new sources of climate finance for adaptation and resilience investments identified. 
  • Development of a roadmap with key actions to prepare the full funding proposal, including the necessary complementary studies, the evaluation of the cost of these studies and the cost of the full funding proposal.
  • Relevant initiatives or projects planned or underway and implemented in the project intervention areas
  • Development of a portfolio of paradigm-shifting adaptation projects and programs, i.e., development of concept notes, supporting and enhancing funding proposals.
Expected impacts
  • Building capacities for adaptation finance planning, mobilization and implementation, i.e., Climate Public Expenditure Reviews.
  • Direct Access strengthening with the aim to diversify and to increase  the delivery channels, i.e., New Accreditation and Accreditation upgrades. 
Start Date
End Date
Fincial instrument
Grant
Loans
AAAP Focus Areas
Climate Finance
Project Value

DRC: USD 58.75 million

Burkina Faso: USD 40 million

Niger: USD 50 million

Nigeria: USD 50 million

Total: USD 198.75 million

Unique identifier
585219

African Development Bank-funded enterprise produces affordable, healthier vegetables using urban rooftop hydroponics

Submitted by Trine Tvile on
Countries
Regions
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Africa is highly vulnerable to climate change, and its impacts—flooding, droughts, cyclones, sea-level rise-- are already driving shifts in how Africans grow food, live, and earn their livelihoods.

Yet, most of the climate funding for the continent goes toward climate mitigation rather than adaptation. This is a problem, partly because adaptation creates well-paying jobs and diversifies economies, strengthening societal resilience. Agriculture is one sector where adaptation promises immense potential.

For example, Soupah Kitchen & Grocery Technology Company, a woman-led agribusiness based in Ibadan, Nigeria, is unlocking innovative solutions to climate change to advance the continent’s energy transition.

With support from the African Development Bank, the Global Centre on Adaptation, and its Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP), Soupah Kitchen uses resource-smart technology to control the environment for growing lettuce, kale, leafy green, and herbs. The start-up produces cheaper and healthier vegetables through hydroponics on Ibadan rooftops than those grown on rural farms.

Ifeloluwa Olatayo, Soupah Kitchen’s CEO, was among 15 winners of the 2021 African Youth Adaptation (YouthADAPT) Solutions Challenge organized by the AAAP, a joint initiative of the African Development Bank and the Global Center on Adaptation.  

Olatayo said, “Our resource-smart technology is designed to grow up to three tonnes of fresh food within a 650 square-meter area. It will enhance the urban landscape and improve the air quality in our cities.”

She added that Soupah Kitchen farms could sustainably plant with 95% less water than traditional farms without chemical fertilizers. Yields from the company’s farm are 30% larger than those of conventional farms and are produced in half the time.

Using vertical hydroponic technology, Soupah Kitchen can cultivate 1,600kg of vegetables within a 26-day cycle.

A desire to expand her business and impact led Olatayo to apply for the YouthADAPT program.

“With the YouthADAPT opportunity, my enterprise received funding of $100,000. This has been enormously helpful, and the investment made thus far in our implementation plan has had a demonstrable impact in strengthening our climate-conscious mission. The one-year accelerator program has enabled me to learn about the best financing options to scale our impact,” Olatayo said. 

Soupah Kitchen plans to tap into blockchain technology to replicate and scale up the technology in other African countries.

In addition to the YouthADAPT funding, Soupah Kitchen received €10,000 from the Netherlands Embassy in Nigeria as a Food Connection Challenge Winner.

In recognition of the private sector’s critical role in closing financing gaps for green growth and building climate resilience, the African Development Bank Group has chosen as the theme for its 2023 Annual Meetings, Mobilizing Private Sector Financing for Climate and Green Growth in Africa.

The Annual Meetings will take place from 22 to 26 May in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.

Click here to learn more.

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Winners of the 2021 YouthADAPT Challenge acquire skills to accelerate climate adaptation innovation and create green jobs

Submitted by Trine Tvile on
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Winners of the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program’s 2021 YouthADAPT Challenge have received training to equip them to produce and scale climate-related innovation and create green jobs.

The challenge competition awards business grants of up to $100,000 to young entrepreneurs and micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises in Africa to develop innovative solutions on climate adaptation and resilience.

During the three-day workshop, the 2021 winners – 10 representatives of enterprises from Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroon, Kenya and Zambia – received training in financial management and fundraising. Winning enterprises also received training on budgeting and cash flow projection, record keeping, and executing solid business plans.

The 10 entities are developing solutions in critical social and economic sectors affected by climate change, including agriculture; waste management; water resources and sanitation; renewable energy and energy efficiency; waste management and ecosystem restoration. Half of the enterprises are women-led businesses. 

The training also instructed participants in how to position their enterprises in the market in order to offer an attractive funding proposition.

Ifeoluwa Olatayo of Soupah Farms-en-market in Nigeria, said she learned a lot during the training, including “how best to review the company’s finances and budget against unexpected shortfalls.”

Another participant, Juveline Ngum Ngwa of Mumita Holdings Limited in Cameroon, acknowledged the importance of budgeting in her enterprise’s overall success and security. “It allows us to better understand whether our business has enough revenue to pay its expenses,” Ngum Ngwa said.

Carolyne Mukuhi of Kimplanter Seedlings in Kenya said: “We look forward to this great journey towards a successful, impactful climate-adaptable business. A great world together.”

In addition to the training, the winning enterprises will be provided with mentorship and support to expand partnerships, knowledge sharing and learning through a network of young entrepreneurs in climate adaptation. The challenge also offers its winners an opportunity to participate in a 12-month business accelerator program to help them scale up their businesses, deepen their impact and create decent jobs.

An annual competition, the challenge falls under one of the pillars of the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program, namely empowering youth for entrepreneurship and job creation in climate adaptation and resilience. The strategic goal is to strengthen inclusive growth and broaden investment and economic opportunities for youth in Africa by providing training, mentorship, and financing to youth-led businesses.

The Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program is a partnership between the African Development Bank and the Global Center on Adaptation.

The African Development Bank’s contribution to the YouthAdapt Challenge was sourced from the Youth Entrepreneurship and Innovation Multi-donor Trust Fund.

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Investment in digital and creative enterprises – the i-DICE program

Submitted by Trine Tvile on
Countries
Regions
AAAP upstream status
AAAP facility upstream
190000
PAC date
MDB board date
Sub-sector
Project stage
Context

Nigeria will become the third most populous country in the world with a doubling of its population from some 210 million today to over 400 million by 2050 – 300 million of whom will be under 35 years old. However, high youth unemployment (43%) and underemployment (21%) undermine progress towards economic development, poverty reduction and social inclusion goals. Lack of jobs for the youth is also associated with rising social unrest. 

To address this, Nigeria must create at least 5 million new jobs every year, and its ICT and creative industries, that today contribute 15% and 8% to GDP respectively, are well placed to play a significant role. Investment in these sectors and revenues generated are increasing, and Nigeria has a competitive advantage with the largest telecom market in Africa. But development is hampered by inadequate infrastructure, skills, broadband access, regulations and policies, and tackling these issues is key to unlocking the clear potential. 

AfDB will support this through a $170 million contribution to the Digital and Creative Enterprises Program (i-DICE) program. 

GCA Focal Point
Task manager
Project category
Show on front
On
Investment value
617700000
Example results indicator
6.1 million jobs created, directly and indirectly, most of which will benefit the youth.
Objectives

i-DICE is a Federal Government of Nigeria program to promote investment in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and Creative Industries to support the government’s employment generation agenda. Interventions aim to (i) harness Nigeria's youth talent pool and equip them with skills to increase their employability, (ii) foster innovation for the emergence of more entrepreneurs to create employment, and (iii) support the enactment of enabling regulatory frameworks and policies for new businesses and innovative ventures. The Program will generate and disseminate specific studies to address knowledge gaps in the technology and creative sectors and their advancement of gender equality, climate change adaptation and resilience.

It targets more than 68 million entrepreneurial young men and women (15-35 years old) in all 36 states, working in innovative, early-stage, technology-enabled start-ups and creative sector micro, small and medium sized enterprises, to be selected based on transparent criteria or competitive calls. A dedicated budget will nurture women led start-ups. The program also works with enterprise support organizations (ESOs) that include hubs, accelerators, venture capital and private equity firms, federal, state and private universities and polytechnics, federal ministries and agencies. 

It uses a systemic, cross sectoral, private sector development approach focused on programmatic interventions and catalytic investments, achieving scale through effective and wide ranging partnerships. The i-DICE program builds on other AfDB-financed operations to address constraints and help to develop the environment where start-ups, early growth and high impact businesses can thrive and flourish.

AAAP added value
  • Feasibility studies and assessment of job opportunities in adaptation that are to be carried out in Bank’s operations;  
  • Feasibility studies to assess integration of adaptation and mitigation measures for the sustainability of “adaptation jobs;Quality assurance and advisory services for results and evidence-based planning, management and M&E of interventions of the i-DICE programme;
Expected Outcomes
  • US$1.14 million dedicated to female-led start-ups.
  • US$216.7 million made available to technology and creative businesses.
  • US$10.4 million to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and vulnerability to climate change.
  • US$433.3 million in capitalization reached through the participation of various types of investors. 
  • US$331.7 for investments in technology and creative start-ups.

 

  • 849,970 direct and indirect jobs created (77,270 direct and 772,700 indirect).
  • 175,000 (50% female) youth trained/certified in basic, intermediate, and advanced ICT skills. 
  • 77,110 (44% female) youth with new skills to secure employment or create their own businesses.
  • 250 (50% female) unemployed post-graduate youth connected to start-ups to enhance their skills.
  • 226 innovative technology and creative start-ups to have received catalytic financing.
  • 270 (44% female) start-ups supported with access business development services. 
  • 451 digital technology and creative start-ups/MSMEs to have received non-financial services.
  • Capacity of 75 enterprise support organizations (ESOs)  strengthened to better support start-ups. 
  • 4 national data centres or sandbox infrastructure upscaled.
Expected impacts
  • Enabling regulatory environment developed and implemented. 
  • 6.1 million jobs created, directly and indirectly, most of which will benefit the youth.
  • Nigeria’s venture capital market development boosted.
  • Solar energy solutions developed for digital technology incubation.
  • Centres of Excellence established in universities and polytechnics.
  • Greenhouse gas emissions reduced by 10.6tCO2e per annum. 
  • Economic and financial benefits to the Nigerian economy estimated at US$6.4 billion.
Start Date
End Date
Fincial instrument
Sovereign Loan
AAAP Focus Areas
Youth and Green Jobs
Project Value

AfDB - USD 170million

AFD - USD 116million

ISDB – USD 70million

Fund manager - USD 9million

Investors  (DFIs, Foundations & Philanthropies, Family Offices, Lending) - USD 208million

Total - USD618million

Unique identifier
495537

Special agro-industrial processing zones program – phase I (SAPZ I)

Submitted by Trine Tvile on
Countries
Regions
AAAP upstream status
Sector
PAC date
MDB board date
Sub-sector
Project stage
Context

Larges areas of fertile soils, a conducive climate and ample labour offer Nigeria much potential for agricultural development. However, economic benefits are constrained by low crop yields, very high post-harvest losses (of 30–50%), limited value addition, and an acute shortage of the required infrastructure, especially regarding energy and transportation. These limitations make locally produced food uncompetitive, leading to increased food imports, and contribute to the high levels of poverty, rising unemployment, and low private sector investment in the agroindustrial sector. 

In response, federal and state governments expressed overwhelming support for the creation of ‘special agro-industrial processing zones’ (SAPZs), where public–private partnerships can strengthen rural infrastructure and expand the transformation of priority crops. Based on this need, the SAPZ program was designed to support governmental economic and social development programs that will especially benefit smallholder farmers, women and youth. 

The SAPZ program is aligned with national policies and priorities that support the goals of increasing agricultural output, food security, productivity, business growth, entrepreneurship and industrialization, infrastructure development and social inclusion, as well as poverty reduction. Strengthening value chains for priority crops, including aggregation, and ensuring reliable supplies of quality raw materials is a key target; as is support to transforming the livestock sector by establishing cattle ranches and improving fodder production. This in turn will spur private sector investment in the agro-industrial sector, including small and medium size enterprises, and foster job creation.

GCA Focal Point
Task manager
Project category
Show on front
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Investment value
538050000
Example results indicator
1.5 million households involved in agricultural value chains to directly benefit
Objectives

The SAPZ program objective is to support inclusive and sustainable agro-industrial development in Nigeria, with the goal of increasing household incomes, fostering job creation in rural agricultural communities especially for youth and women, and enhancing food and nutritional security. It will do this through four mutually reinforcing components: (i) infrastructure development and the development of agro-industrial hubs, (ii) increasing agriculture productivity and production, (iii) policy and institutional development, and (iv) programme coordination and management. 

The first phase will be implemented in seven states (Cross River, Imo, Kaduna, Kano, Kwara, Ogun, and Oyo) and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and then will be rolled out in later phases. This a flagship initiative of AfDB’s ‘Feed Africa’ strategic priority and its aim is to provide end-to-end solutions and services that de-risk private sector production, processing and marketing, whilst boosting manufacturing and transformation capacity. 

AAAP added value
  • Definition of the concept of “adaptation jobs”;  
  • Feasibility studies and assessment of job opportunities in adaptation that are to be carried out in Bank’s operations;  
  • Feasibility studies to assess integration of adaptation and mitigation measures for the sustainability of “adaptation jobs;
  • Quality assurance and advisory services for results and evidence-based planning, management and M&E of the SAPZ 1 interventions;
Expected Outcomes

The intervention will seek to sustainably contribute to poverty alleviation, and reduced hunger and inequality, by providing opportunities for economic diversification, job creation, improved livelihoods and building climate resilience. Specifically, it is expected to the following outcomes:

  • Capacity building (training of trainers) programs on climate resilient practices established.
  • Extension services strengthened.
  • Skills of farmers and micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) developed.
  • Increased supply of certified agricultural inputs.
  • Agroforestry, multiple cropping and sustainable practices and technologies promoted and incentivized. 
  • More fuel-efficient farm machinery procured, with improved climate-aware design of program assets.
  • Revised agro-industrial zone policies, and a special regulatory regime established.
Expected impacts
  • 8 agro-industrial processing hubs (AIHs) developed for 15 agricultural transformation centres (ATCs) established for improved food security and increased incomes for farmers.
  • 2,300 ha of land irrigated with new roads for market access for sustained increase in agricultural productivity and jobs creation i.e. 2 million jobs created (400,000 directly, 1.6 million indirectly).
  • 1.5 million households involved in agricultural value chains lifted from food insecurity and low incomes.
Start Date
End Date
Fincial instrument
Loans
AAAP Focus Areas
Youth and Green Jobs
Agriculture
Project Value

AfDB - USD 160million

AGTF – USD 50million

ISDB – USD 150million

IFAD – USD 100million

GCF – USD 60million

Total – USD 538.05million

Unique identifier
450822

Staple Crops Processing Zone (SCPZ): funding proposal to the Green Climate Fund

Submitted by Trine Tvile on
AAAP upstream status
Sector
AAAP facility upstream
40000
PAC date
MDB board date
Sub-sector
Project stage
Context

The target countries of Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Togo and Zambia are regions experiencing high deforestation, poor agriculture yield and increasing poverty exacerbated by climate change. Across all four countries, climate variability and change has become a major threat to sustainable development. 

As part of efforts to address these challenges, the four countries are implementing national projects to establish Staple Crops Processing Zones: initiatives designed to concentrate agro-processing activities within areas of high agricultural potential to boost productivity and integrate production, processing and marketing of selected commodities. These initiatives are purposely built shared facilities, to enable agricultural producers, processors, aggregators and distributors to operate in the same vicinity to reduce transaction costs and share business development services for increased productivity and competitiveness.

Developing adequate infrastructure (energy, water, roads, ICT) in rural areas of high agricultural potential should attract investments from private agro-industrialists/entrepreneurs to contribute to the economic and social development of rural areas.

GCA Focal Point
Task manager
Project category
Show on front
Off
Investment value
427000000
Example results indicator
Increased resilience and enhanced livelihood of about 55% of highly vulnerable people and communities.
Objectives

The Staple Crops Processing Zone (SCPZ) development program aims to transform agriculture production in regions experiencing high deforestation, poor agriculture yield and increasing poverty exacerbated by climate change, including the target countries of Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Togo and Zambia. 

The specific objectives of SCPZ are: (i) improving access to seed capital through grants and matching grants; (ii) supporting productivity enhancement through introduction of new technologies and agricultural inputs; (iii) improving access to infrastructure by supporting investment; (iv) improving the capacity of producer cooperative through training and TA, especially for targeted women and youth groups; (v) facilitating market linkages throughout-growers’ schemes; and (vi) facilitating on-farm value addition by targeting limited value chains and linking farmers to the supply chain. 

GCF financing is sought to strengthen one of the project components of SCPZ in Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Togo and Zambia.

AAAP added value
  • Through the technical assistance program, AAAPwill accelerate the mobilization of adaptation finance.
Expected Outcomes
  • Increased carbon sinks in soil and above-ground biomass
  • Reduced carbon dioxide/other greenhouse gas emissions from farms due to efficient energy use
  • Increased renewable energy production from biomass, either as a substitute for fossil fuels or as a replacement for burning of fuel wood or crop residues
  • Fewer incidents of bare soils, reduced soil erosion and increased water percolation.
  • Reduced emissions through low-emission energy access and power generation 
  • Reduced emissions due to improved waste management, including by recycling waste and use of waste in biogas systems
  • Reduction of emissions from land use and deforestation, and enhancement of forest carbon stocks.
Expected impacts
  • Increased resilience, including to extreme events such as droughts and floods, and enhanced livelihood of about 55% of highly vulnerable people and communities

  • Increased access to better health and wellbeing, and food and water security to over 100,000 beneficiaries, in addition to provision of alternative sources of energy

  • Increased resilience of ecosystems and ecosystem services in forests and savannas

Start Date
End Date
Fincial instrument
Grant
Loans
Counterpart financing
AAAP Focus Areas
Agriculture
Project Value

USD 427 million:

  • Funding proposal to GCF seeking USD 174.02 million (USD 130.02 million grant and USD 44 million loan)
  • AfDB providing USD 111.2 million (USD 85.2 million loan and USD 26 million grant)
  • Co-financiers:

European Union, USD 10.4 million (grant)

BOAD, USD 17.6 million (loan)

Korea Exim Bank, USD 50 million (loan)

Korea Fund, USD 5 million (grant)

Islamic Development Bank, USD 31 million (loan)

Governments of target countries, USD 28 million (counterpart financing)

Unique identifier
558892

Global Center on Adaptation, AfDB host regional forum on the future of resilient food systems in Africa

Submitted by Trine Tvile on
Pillars
Regions
Body

The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) in collaboration with the African Development Bank and the Wangari Mathai Institute have concluded a three-day regional forum on the future of resilient food systems in Africa.

The Forum, called the Future of Resilient Food Systems in Africa – AAAP Digital Solutions for a Changing Climate provided training aimed at strengthening the capacity of stakeholders from across Eastern Africa to design and implement solutions to improve food security and climate resilience and to facilitate knowledge sharing among farmers on approaches to scale up the use of Digital climate-informed advisory services, or DCAS.

Digital climate-informed advisory services are tools and platforms that integrate climate information into agricultural decision-making. These services range from digital mobile apps, radio, and online platforms to digitally enabled printed bulletins based on climate models and extension services that utilize climate information platforms.

DCAS offers crucial opportunities to build the resilience of small-scale producers in the face of worsening climate change impacts. From seasonal forecasts to pest advisories, effectively designed services provide producers with the resources to adapt to climate shocks and plan for new climate conditions.

Globally, more than 300 million small-scale agricultural producers have limited or no access to such services because service provision is still fragmented, unsustainable beyond project cycles, and not reaching the last mile.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the forum, Professor Patrick Verkooijen, CEO of Global Center on Adaptation called for urgent financial support to put Africa on the path of food sovereignty.

“Africa needs urgent support to scale up the implementation of adaptation solutions that are already yielding good results for irrigation, developing drought-resistant seeds, crops and livestock diversification, “ he said. 

“Through the African Adaptation Acceleration Programme, AAAP, we are rolling out a $350 million project to build resilience for food and nutrition security in the Horn of Africa towards mobilising new digital climate technology for market information, insurance products, financial services that can and must be tailored to smallholder farmers’ needs”, he added.

Speaking on behalf of the African Development Bank’s East Africa Regional Director General,  Nnenna Nwabufo, Dr Pascal Sanginga, Regional Sector Manager for Agriculture and Agro-Industries noted that the forum was timely, coming hot on the heels of the recently concluded Dakar 2 Feed Africa-Food Sovereignty and Resilience summit , organised by the African Development Bank.

“The Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP) is already contributing to closing Africa’s adaptation gap by supporting African countries to make a transformational shift in their development pathways by putting climate adaptation and resilience at the center of their policies, programs, and institutions. There is no doubt that AAAP will be a strong component of the Country Food and Agricultural Delivery Compacts to accelerate the transformation of Africa’s food systems and build a more resilient Africa”, he said.

Professor Stephen Kiama Gitahi, Vice Chancellor of the University of Nairobi, reiterated the relevance of the forum pointing out that 70% of the population in Eastern Africa live in rural areas and depend on agriculture for their livelihoods. He encouraged the trainers to simplify the modules in a manner that removes the fear for technology and accelerate adaptation for rural farmers. Citing the legacy of late Professor Wangari Maathai he stated:  

“We acknowledge that gaps exist on climate adaptation in the rural communities and those can be smartly bridged with the use of digital smart agriculture and climate innovations to create great conservation impact in our region.”

The forum brought together stakeholders from ministries of agriculture, related government agencies, public research institutions, farmer organizations, universities and non-profit organizations working on climate adaptation for food security in Eastern Africa. These included participants from Djibouti, Eritrea, South Sudan, Burundi, Rwanda, Mauritius, Tanzania, Seychelles, Sudan, Ethiopia, Rwanda and Kenya.  

 

About Global Center on Adaptation
The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) is an international organization which works as a solutions broker to accelerate action and support for adaptation solutions, from the international to the local, in partnership with the public and private sector. Founded in 2018, GCA operates from its headquarters in the largest floating office in the world, located in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. GCA has a worldwide network of regional offices in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire; Dhaka, Bangladesh and Beijing, China.

About the Wangari Maathai Institute, University of Nairobi
The Wangari Maathai Institute (WMI) for peace and environmental studies is a global centre for teaching and research on environmental management, governance, peace and conflicts and the nexus between peace and democracy. The centre was founded in 2009 with the support of the Government of Kenya (GoK), the African Union(AU) and the African Development Bank(AfDB) to celebrate and immortalize the work of the late Nobel Laurete
Prof.Wangari Maathai who was a global champion on environmental conservation and governance. The centre trains future leaders and Champions for environment. The Centre is located in the serene environment in Upper Kabete suburb of Nairobi City.

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Ethiopia: African Development Fund approves $13.95 million grant for Borana Resilient Water Development for Improved livelihoods program

Submitted by Trine Tvile on
Countries
Regions
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The Board of Directors of the African Development Fund has approved a $13.95 million grant to the Government of Ethiopia to implement the first phase of a livelihood improvement project for pastoralist communities in Ethiopia’s drylands.

The Borana Resilient Water Development for Improved Livelihoods Program will enhance access to climate-resilient, gender-sensitive integrated and sustainable water and sanitation services. Phase one of the program will focus on developing well-field infrastructure and a transmission pipeline to a storage tank.

The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) will contribute €300,000 to the program to strengthen adaptation and resilience, under the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program, a partnership with the African Development Bank.

GCA will provide technical assistance for the development of an in-depth understanding of climate related risks to improve the climate resilience of the catchments. It will also design a strategy and approach to involve local communities, and carry out a gender climate vulnerability and resilience assessment as an integral part of climate adaptation.

The scheme will bolster access to water supplies in Elweya, Dubluk, and Yabel districts, covering 62 rural villages and 12 towns with an estimated population of 308,576 people—half of them women – and 975,750 livestock.  

Osward Chanda, Director of Water Development and Sanitation at the African Development Bank, said: “The Bank’s support is a coordinated response with the Government of Ethiopia to mitigate water, sanitation and climate challenges, develop sustainable water structures, and improve socioeconomic outcomes in Borana.”

Phase one of the program will be implemented over four years. The Borana Resilient Water Development for Improved Livelihoods Program will lead to improved health outcomes, nutrition and food security.

In the last 15 years, Ethiopia has suffered eight major droughts with adverse consequences for its economy and the livelihoods of its people, resulting in forced migration and displacement of humans and livestock. Droughts in the Borana area have been linked to increased violent conflict and boundary disputes, and unsafe drinking water, and inadequate sanitation, which remain critical health concerns in the Ethiopian lowlands.

The Borana program aligns with the Bank’s Strategy for Addressing Fragility and Building Resilience in Africa as well as its Gender Strategy, Jobs for Youth in Africa Strategy, Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Action Plan, and the Bank’s Climate Change Policy which seeks to invest in programs which boost climate resilience and adaptation.

 

Contact: 

Olufemi Terry, Département de la communication et des relations extérieures, medias@afdb.org(link sends e-mail)

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