Challenges

Climate Change poses a very serious long term threat to development and reaching the Millennium Development Goals. Existing poverty reduction strategies in most parts of Africa are not effective in integrating Climate Change considerations into mainstream development policies. At the same time, communities affected by climate change lack the necessary information and skills to interface with Government and decision makers in order to contribute to policy making and implementation.

For many poor and vulnerable communities the effects of climate change represent a growing threat to their rights to development, food security, water, health and well being. Decentralisation of decision making in the target countries also presents largely unrealised opportunities for improving community involvement in policy implementation due to lack of stakeholder awareness.

Recent work undertaken by LEAD and a range of other organisations underscores the urgent and critical need to address the requirement for increasing the capacity of communities and civil society to adapt and respond to climate change. The weight of evidence is considerable, ranging from the Stern Review to the Climate Change Africa consultations carried out by LEAD and funded by UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office Global Opportunities Fund. The central message on adaptation is clear, impacts are being felt now and action is imperative.

Action

With the support of the DFID Civil Society Challenge Fund, LEAD has been working in Senegal, Mali and Malawi to build the capacity of local communities, institutions and NGOs to respond to climate change, enabling them to anticipate and minimise impacts on the livelihoods of poor and vulnerable groups.

The project aims to equip communities, institutions and NGOs in Bakel (Senegal), Kayes, (Mali), Nsanje (Malawi) and Machinga (Malawi) with the capacity to respond to climate change, enabling them to better anticipate and minimize impacts on the livelihoods of poor and vulnerable people. The project beneficiaries are better able to identify and adopt suitable methodologies to respond to the impacts of climate change. In addition, project stakeholders gain confidence from greatly increased levels of technical knowledge, collaboration with other organisations to share information, and by the use of established advocacy channels to make their voices heard.

Impact

The project is achieving sustained impact through partnership between regional governments, community leaders and the project team, and has resulted in the initiation of climate resilient regional development plans. Over 3000 local community and Civil Society Organisation (CSO) representatives have now undergone training on climate change impacts, advocacy and practical adaptation techniques in all three countries and sessions for cattle breeders, women, local and rural councillors were also run in Senegal.

LEAD Francophone Africa has also been developing information provision including media training, as well as communications strategy developed in close collaboration with a local radio station. Community Radio Jiida FM are proving to be very successful in Senegal and Mali and can attract up to 125,000 listeners per broadcast. A popular presenter hosts the one-hour programme during which climate change issues, adaptation techniques and agricultural and environmental issues are discussed. Callers ring in with their questions or provide advice to other land users.

The following video produced by LEAD Francophone Africa provides an insight into the challenges faced by the local communities as well as the initiatives developed to respond to them.