Adaptation in Eastern and Southern Africa

Supporting ground level and policy change

Jo-Ellen Parry, Program Managerjparry@iisd.ca

Project BackgroundIntegrating Vulnerability and Adaptation to Climate

Change into Sustainable Development Policy Planning and Implementation in Eastern and Southern Africa

Goal:To reduce the vulnerability of communities to the impacts of climate change, thereby improving their well-being and protecting their livelihoods

Objective:To promote the mainstreaming or integration of vulnerability and adaptation to climate change into sustainable development plans and planning processes through demonstration projects in Kenya, Mozambique and Rwanda

Conceptual FrameworkAnticipated Outcomes

Generate capacity to implement adaptation measures in the field

Increase capacity to generate and use information about climate change to affect change in relevant development policies

Increase knowledge of the links between development planning and climate change

POLICY

FIELDTESTING

Up-Scaling

Down-Scaling

Project Partners Project Management Team

Funders

National Implementation Organizations Kenya: Centre for Science and Technology Innovations with the

Arid Lands Resource Management Program Mozambique: AMBERO-IP with GTZ Rwanda: Kigali Institute for Science and Technology

Observer Countries: Tanzania and Madagascar Time Period: 2005 to 2009

Kenya Pilot ProjectResponding to Drought in Makueni District Objectives

To increase household food security by enhancing the resilience of local agricultural practices to drought

To reduce poverty through improved livelihoods To facilitate integration of adaptation to climate

change into Kenya’s National Disaster Management Policy

Activities Downscaling and communicating climate

forecasts Improving agronomic practices Enhancing water conservation activities Merry-go-round credit scheme

Outcomes to date Increased agricultural output Replication in other districts expected Draft National Disaster Management Policy

Mozambique Pilot ProjectCommunity-base Fire Management in Sofala Province Objectives

To reduce vulnerability to forest fires exacerbated by climate change

To promote the inclusion of vulnerability to climate change considerations into relevant policies and strategies in Mozambique

Activities Introduce community-based preventive measures for wild land fire

management Establish a provincial round table for the coordination of wild land

fire management Acceptance of community-based fire management strategy by

district decision makers, creating a model for national policies Outcomes to date

Training provided in fire suppression, prevention, preparedness, fighting and management

Provincial round table established to coordinate the collection and sharing of information

Rwanda Pilot ProjectReducing Vulnerability in the Hydroelectric Sector

Objectives: To restore and protect the watersheds supporting Rwanda’s

hydroelectric sector while improving the livelihoods of local communities

To integrate climate change considerations into the management and operation of Rwanda’s hydroelectric power plants

To promote the integration of vulnerability and adaptation to climate change into energy and sustainable development plans and processes

Activities: Watershed level: soil conservation measures; income

diversification; improved water access; sustainable energy access

Hydropower stations: maintenance training; climate scenario awareness

Policy engagement: workshops; advice; guidance documents

Outcomes to date: Established erosion control structures; tree nurseries;

beekeeping associations; rainwater catchment tanks; improved cookstoves

Regional Level Activities Regional team meetings Regional meeting with policy makers Technical assistance Networking and communications

Observations Lessons learned

Need for enhanced access to climate data at the local level

Importance of agriculture improvements for vulnerability reduction

Challenges Climate change projections Capacity variances Regional coordination