The Green Climate Fund (GCF) has approved $60 million to support climate-resilient projects and promote sustainable practices in vulnerable rural communities in Benin and The Gambia.
The projects, according to GCF, are expected to scale the implementation of mitigation and adaptation strategies for vulnerable rural communities in Benin and The Gambia, to better combat climate change threats.
It is understood that the projects will be implemented by the Food and Agricultural Organiisation (FAO) in both countries.
Data from the Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) shows that over 60 percent of the African population are vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.
The African Development Bank (AfDB) has also noted that climate change poses systemic risks to the continent’s economies, infrastructure investments, water and food systems, public health, agriculture, and livelihoods.
‘GCF is proud to partner with FAO on climate-resilient projects in Benin and [The] Gambia, which will help vulnerable rural communities to increase their resilience to climate change and to protect livelihoods in agriculture and fisheries’, the Executive Director of GCF, Yannick Glemarecm, said in a statement.
‘Furthermore, the projects will promote gender equality, help ensuring the health, safety and livelihoods of women and girls who are disproportionately affected by climate change impacts’.
According to GCF, $35 million will be disbursed for the Ouémé Basin Climate Resilience Initiative (OCRI) in Benin to enhance climate-resilient agriculture and agroforestry in communities and improve agricultural productivity for the 61 percent of the population who depend on agriculture for their livelihoods in the basin.
The six-year project is also expected to directly benefit approximately 330,000 small-scale farmers and ensure climate-resilient land and water practices are applied on an area of 95,000 hectares.
As for The Gambia, $25 million will go to the Climate Resilient Fishery Initiative for Livelihood Improvement (PROREFISH) to strengthen climate-resilience through climate adaptation and mitigation techniques.
Source: FAO
Photo source: World Bank
