FAO and partners to strengthen the resilience of farmers and pastoralists in Eastern Africa
Adaptation Fund Board Endorses agricultural climate resilience project
Eastern Africa countries face challenges of achieving food security mainly due to unfavorable weather and climate conditions, including the occurrence of droughts and floods as well as increasingly unreliable rainfall and gradually increasing temperatures.
In response, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), in collaboration with Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the Governments of Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda submitted the Agricultural Climate Resilience Enhancement Initiative (ACREI) project proposal to the Adaptation Fund in early 2017.
The Adaptation Fund Board endorsed the 6.8 million US dollars-worth project at its 29th Board Meeting held in Germany on 17 March 2017. This makes WMO, the first multilateral implementing entity to have a regional proposal approved by the Adaptation Fund Board under the board’s Pilot Programme for regional projects and programmes.
The Adaptation Fund finances climate change adaptation and resilience activities in developing countries that are vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change and are Parties to the Kyoto Protocol. Through its pilot programme the Adaptation Fund supports regional and subregional projects and programmes, , that help vulnerable communities in developing countries adapt to climate change. Funded Initiatives are based on country needs and priorities.
About the project
The ACREI project, which targets Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda, aims at developing and implementing adaptation strategies and measures towards strengthening the resilience of vulnerable smallholder farmers, agro-pastoralists and pastoralists in the Horn of Africa to climate variability and change. The initiative contributes directly to implementation of the IGAD Drought Disaster and Sustainability Initiative (IDDRSI) programme and is aligned to the National Adaptation Plans of Action (NAPAs) and Development Strategies and visions of participating countries.
The project will seek to improve adaptive capacity and resilience to current climate variability and change among target farmers, agro-pastoralists and pastoralists communities in the three targeted countries which are extremely vulnerable to climate variability, and highly affected by the current 2017 drought. .
ACREI will be implemented over a three years period, and will involve active participation of the National Meteorological and Hydrological Services (NMHS), and Ministries of Environment and climate change and Ministries of Agriculture and Livestock of the three-targeted countries. Effective Climate Smart Agriculture practices coupled with improved accessibility of climate information and forecasts by target communities can undoubtedly build climate resilience, increase food production and ensure food security within target farming communities.
Consequently, the project with its three major components centers on sustainably enhanced productivity, production, livelihood diversification and income levels among targeted communities as well as climate proofing of extension systems and improved climate informed decision making in regional, national and sub-national institutions.