In September 2012, the Board of Directors of the African Development Bank has approved three path-breaking projects for climate resilience funded by the Climate Investment Funds (CIF) and AfDB for a total of $50.75 million.
The three projects - two in Niger and one in Mozambique aim to strengthen their populations' resilience to climate change by improving hydrometeorological methods, mobilizing water resources to boost food production, and climate-proof agricultural supply chains. The three projects are funded under the CIF Pilot Program for Climate Resilience (PPCR).
In Niger, the $13 million Climate Information Development and Forecasting Project will improve the national climate observatory system, research and optimize climate modeling, strengthen the national early warning system, and expand communication on climate information. More comprehensive and accurate hydro-meteorological data means the country can better understand current and potential future climate to improve prospects for effective response to climate impacts.
In addition, Niger's $22 million Water Resources Mobilization and Development Project will boost food production and improve the livelihood of some 700,000 people by implementing mini dams, wells and boreholes, irrigation schemes, erosion control and other water management measures.
Climate resilient seeds and farming techniques will be introduced to increase agricultural production.
The projects in Niger will help ensure that adaptation responses throughout the country can be tailored to address the vulnerabilities of specific populations, particularly rural communities that rely on subsistence farming.
In Mozambique, the Baixo Limpopo Irrigation and Climate Resilience Project will receive $15.75 million to intensify agricultural production and improve the lives of about 8,000 farm families by introducing new climate-proof seeds, weatherizing rural roads and irrigations systems, localizing processing and storage facilities, and expanding access to markets.
With its approval, the African Development Bank (AfDB) will channel PPCR funding to all three projects along with co-financing from its own resources. The Bank has provided technical support to Niger and Mozambique throughout the design and development stage of these projects. These projects offer measures that could be applied in other areas of the continent, and best practices will help the Bank design future climate resilience operations in other sectors.
