Addressing Climate Change Risks on Water Resources and Food Security in the Dry Zone of Myanmar

View the full country profile for Myanmar

  • Project details

  • Implementing Agency and Partnering Organizations:
    UNDP, Ministry of Environmental Conservation and Forestry
    Summary:

    The objective of this project is to reduce the vulnerability of farmers in Myanmar’s Dry Zone to increasing drought and rainfall variability, and enhance the capacity of farmers to plan for and respond to future impacts of Climate Change on food security. The strategy of the project to achieve this objective is to reduce the risks and effects from recurring droughts, floods and erosion through an integrated water management, crop and livestock adaptation programme in five of the most vulnerable townships of Myanmar‟s Dry Zone.

    Project Components:

    1. Respond to the climate-induced reduction of freshwater supply
    2. Climate-resilient food and livestock production systems established and promoted
    3. Improve communal climate risk information and monitoring

    Expected Outputs:

    1. Respond to the climate-induced reduction of freshwater supply: Rainfall capture, storage and natural water retention capacity is increased
    where rainfall is declining or becoming more variable
    2. Climate-resilient food and livestock production systems established and promoted: Diversified and resilient livelihoods of the most vulnerable farmers in Myanmar‟s Dry Zone
    3. Improve communal climate risk information and monitoring: Capacity of farmers in the Dry Zone to respond and adapt to changes in rainfall is enhanced through use of short-term forecast information and longer-term climate scenario planning

    As detailed in the Adaptation Fund Proposal - Myanmar (resubmission) - 06.11.11

    Contacts:

    Project Contact Person

    Project Status:
    SOF Pipeline Entry (as of 2 February 2012)
    Primary Beneficiaries:
    Local communities in the Sagaing, Mandalay and Magway Regions
    Project Details
    Funding Source:
    Adaptation Fund
    Cofinancing Total:
    n/a
    Total Amounts:
    $7,909,026 (Amount requested and approved 2011-12-14)

Enhancing Resilience of Rural Communities to Flood and Drought-Related Climate Change and Disaster Risks in the Ba Catchment Area of Fiji

View the full country profile for Fiji

  • Project details

  • Implementing Agency and Partnering Organizations:
    UNDP, Department of Environment, Government of Fiji
    Summary:

    The overall objective of the project is to replicate successful interventions in the Ba catchment and fully integrate climate change considerations in flood/drought risk management by not only generating and producing information, but also training and dissemination. Mitigation of flood damage remains the highest priority need in the area, particularly in light of projected increase in intensification of rainfall and storm events. Fiji lacks an integrated natural resource management plan that incorporates climate change, agriculture, flood, and drought risk simultaneously.

    Project Components:

    Component 1: Climate early warning and information systems
    Component 2: Community-based adaptation to flood and drought related risks and hazards
    Component 3: Institutional strengthening to support climate- and disaster-resilient policy frameworks
    Component 4: Awareness raising and knowledge management

    Expected Outputs:

    Component 1: Climate early warning and information systems
    The project will support the development of enhanced climate and weather information products and services (monthly outlook, seasonal forecasting, longer term projections), tailored particularly for flood and drought preparedness and agriculture sector users (local government officials, farmers, communities, extension services). To ensure the timely dissemination of climate early warning and information products, effective alert and communication system will be established for communities, village councils and local disaster management committees. Capacity building and training activities will involve technical workshops on the establishment, maintenance and use of climate early warning system, including the interpretation and application of tailored climate information services, targeting meteorologist and climatologist staff at Meteorology Service, community members of the voluntary emergency services, as well as farmers. To facilitate the application of climate information amongst agriculture sector users, the programme will support the development of climate-sensitive crop suitability and cultivation guidelines and manuals, with user-friendly information packages, customized to the climate and landscapes, and different crop varieties and forest types of the Ba watershed area.

    Component 2: Community-based adaptation to flood and drought related risks and hazards
    Activities under this output will be closely linked to the establishment of a Rural Land Use Policy. The main components of the plan will cover flood plain zoning, land use plan, water use and safety plan (pollution control, water distribution and rationing), preparedness and post flood and drought recovery processes, supported with adjusted regulations that recognize emerging climate change risks. Importantly, the plan will include a community-based monitoring system on land-use, water use, flood control measures, and conservation of related ecosystems (e.g. mangroves, forests), coupled with review and feedback mechanism to integrate experiences on an ongoing/periodic basis.

    Resilience of crop production will be pursued through identifying and introducing climate change resilient crop varieties and suitable crop cultivation techniques. To ensure the continuous supply of climate-resilient plant species to farmers, a research station and associated community nurseries will be established in the Ba area, with appropriate distribution systems. The introduction of post-harvest processing and food storage techniques will be based on a review and enhancement of traditional practices.

    Component 3: Institutional strengthening to support climate- and disaster-resilient policy frameworks
    Activities under this output will serve to review and adjust relevant sectoral policies, legal and planning frameworks, corporate and management plans at the different levels, through analysis of existing frameworks and related institutional capacities, consultative processes and systematic training of policy makers and planners. The proposed project will promote the application of modified or newly created policy frameworks and instruments in target provinces and districts, while integrating on-the-ground experience to inform the higher level policy processes.

    Component 4: Awareness raising and knowledge management
    Outputs and proposed activities under this outcome aim at capturing, analyzing and disseminating programme experience at the national and regional levels in a systematic way, from early stages of the programme from the assessment, adaptation planning, implementation, monitoring phases, as well the throughout the policy mainstreaming processes. A range of knowledge products will be developed, tailored to different user groups and disseminated through specific channels and means, including education institutions, and supported by a project communication action plan for broader awareness raising purposes. It is expected that integrated knowledge management activities will significantly contribute to the replicability and sustainability of the project results, reaching out to broad layers of society and different generations.

    Contacts:

    UNDP Regional Technical Advisor

    Project Status:
    SOF Pipeline Entry (as of 2 February 2012)
    Primary Beneficiaries:
    Communities in the Ba catchment area
    Project Details
    Funding Source:
    Adaptation Fund
    Cofinancing Total:
    n/a
    Total Amounts:
    $5,728,800 (Amount requested 2011-06-22)

ALM Case Study 2011 - Zimbabwe: Coping with Drought and Climate Change

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 2011-11-02 04:40
View the full country profile for Zimbabwe
Project:
Coping with Drought and Climate Change in Zimbabwe
Summary:

Long known as the breadbasket of Africa, Zimbabwe has for the last 30 years experienced dramatic losses in agricultural production resulting in critical food and fuel shortages. Coupled with the economic and political constraints, drought and climate change are testing the limits of agricultural production in Zimbabwe. In rural Zimbabwe, and specifically in the pilot project area Chiredzi district, drought is becoming an increasingly common occurrence. With approximately 70% of Zimbabwe’s population deriving their livelihoods from subsistence agriculture and other rural activities, the most noticeable effects of these droughts are the devastating impacts on household food security and the livelihoods of the poor. In response, and as part of a set of three other regional Coping with Drought and Climate Change (CwDCC) projects in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Mozambique, this project is supporting effective adaptation among subsistence farmers in six locations in Chiredze District.

Adaptation Experience:

The project, Coping with Drought and Climate Change in Zimbabwe, is working to enhance the capacity of agricultural and pastoral communities in Zimbabwe to adapt to climate variability and change. The primary project objective is to demonstrate and promote adoption of a range of gender-sensitive approaches for adaptation to climate change among rural communities currently engaged in agriculture in vulnerable areas of the Chiredzi.

Results and Learning:

Refer to the attached UNDP-ALM Case Study for detailed information.

Sustainability:

This project has established implementation partnerships with government departments. Sustainability of the project, and the buy in and acceptability of the project outcomes has been evidenced by their incorporation in other programmes/projects. Outcomes on improving livelihoods are largely taken up by a number of NGOs. Climate risk management is being embraced by government and NGOs. Of those NGOs that have embraced climate risk management, the focus has been on livelihoods diversification, small scale irrigation development and conservation agriculture.

Replication:

The optimized crop pilots through this initiative have the potential to benefit about 6,600 households in Chiredzi district, and many thousands more households at the national level. Replication of livestock interventions has potential to benefit more than 60% of the 12,400 households in Chiredzi District whose vulnerability to drought and climate change is exacerbated by their current lack of access to animal drawn draught power. Indirect benefits through improvement in wildlife management have the potential to benefit an additional 1000 households in the Chiredzi district.The project is encouraging replication of optimized crop production through Farmer Field schools (FFS). FFS is a group-based learning process that has been used by a number of governments, NGOs and international agencies to promote Integrated Pest Management. FFS are being used in the project as a learning platform for farmers to increase learning and improve production strategies on the ground. Exchange visits for neighboring farmers, public awareness campaigns and tours by policy makers are some of the tools planned to encourage replication of best practices.Barriers to replication of the adaptation measures include credit and input bottlenecks which results in farmers resorting to their own traditional varieties of grains despite poor performance, and the lack of supportive policies and institutions. 

Image(s):
Funding Source:
GEF-SCCF

Future floods of refugees: A comment on climate change, conflict and forced migration

Submitted by Yury Zhukov on Tue, 2011-11-22 13:20
Author(s):
Vikram Odedra Kolmannskog
Year:
2008
Summary:

Climate change will have several impacts on the environment which in turn can impact on forced migration and conflict. Gradual environmental degradation and slow-onset disasters such as drought are likely to increase due to climate change. Most vulnerable are developing countries where large sections of the population live directly from agriculture and many of these from subsistence farming. Importantly, adaptation, involving for example different land-use techniques and livelihood diversification, would lessen the need to migrate.

The winds of change: climate change, poverty and the environment in Malawi

Submitted by Yury Zhukov on Tue, 2011-11-22 10:14
View the full country profile for Malawi
Author(s):
John Magrath, Elvis Sukali
Year:
2009
Summary:

This report is part of a series commissioned by Oxfam national country programmes to explore and highlight the links between climate change and poverty, and between climate change adaptation and development. At a community level, poor communities are worst affected by, and least able to cope, with climate change impacts. The report recommends that the foundation of any initiative to address climate change hinges on communities being aware of the issues, owning the process of adaptation and having the capacity to undertake and maintain adaptation.

In search of shelter: Mapping the effects of climate change on human migration and displacement

Submitted by Yury Zhukov on Thu, 2011-10-27 07:32
Author(s):
Warner K; Ehrhart C; de Sherbinin A; Adamo S; Chai-Onn T
Year:
2009
Summary:

The report explores how environmental shocks and stresses, especially those related to climate change, can push people to leave their homes in search of “greener pastures” or just to survive. In order to make informed decisions, policymakers and development actors need a better understanding of the linkages between environmental change, displacement and migration.

Monitoring disaster displacement in the context of climate change

Submitted by Yury Zhukov on Thu, 2011-10-27 07:10
Author(s):
United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre
Year:
2009
Summary:

The study looks at natural disasters and forced displacement in the context of climate change. It has two aims: firstly, to provide an estimate of forced displacement related to disasters in 2008, specifically climate-related disasters; and secondly, to propose a methodology that could be applied to monitor disaster-related displacement on an ongoing basis.

Climate change and energy security in East Africa

Submitted by Yury Zhukov on Mon, 2011-10-17 15:37
Author(s):
Stephen Karekezi, John Kimani, and Oscar Onguru
Year:
2009-2010
Summary:

In light of the challenges facing the power sector in East Africa, there is a need to reduce the vulnerability of large scale hydropower generation to the impacts of drought (which is often thought to be climate change related).

Climate volatility and poverty vulnerability in Tanzania

Submitted by Yury Zhukov on Sun, 2011-10-16 14:47
View the full country profile for Tanzania
Author(s):
Syud Amer Ahmed, Noah S. Diffenbaugh, Thomas W. Hertel, David B. Lobell, Navin Ramankutty, Ana R. Rios, Pedram Rowhani
Year:
2009
Summary:

Climate models generally indicate that climate volatility may rise in the future, severely affecting agricultural productivity through greater frequency of yield-diminishing climate extremes, such as droughts. For Tanzania, where agricultural production is sensitive to climate, changes in climate volatility could have significant implications for poverty. This study assesses the vulnerability of Tanzania’s population to poverty to changes in climate variability between the late 20th century and early this century.

Adaptation in the coastal zones of Mozambique

View the full country profile for Mozambique

  • Project details

  • Implementing Agency and Partnering Organizations:
    UNDP, Ministry for the Coordination of the Environment (MICOA)
    Summary:

    The coastal zone of Mozambique is likely to experience significant impacts as a result of climate change during the course of this century. Mean sea levels will rise, wave patterns will alter, and the frequency and intensity of storms will change. More than 60% of the population of Mozambique lives in coastal areas, placing significant pressure on coastal resources and natural capital.

    Project Components:

    Objective: To develop the capacity of communities living in the coastal zone to manage climate change risks.

    • Outcome 1: Climate change risks to coastal zones integrated into key decision-making process and managed at community level as well as sub-national and national government level.
    • Outcome 2: Adaptive capacity of coastal communities improved and coastal zone resilience to climate change enhanced.

     

    Expected Outputs:
    • 1. Coastal climate change risks integrated into key decision making processes at the local,  subnational and national levels.
    • 2. Adaptive capacity of coastal communities improved and coastal zone resilience to climate change enhanced.
    • 3.Best practices documented and disseminated

    Target

    Objective: At the end of the project 50% of men and women have declared ownership of adaptation processes (disaggregated by gender).

    Outcome 1:

    • Capacity Assessment score: 3.83/5
    • At the end of the project 10 local government institutions have been trained in CC adaptation and SLR and coastal erosion risk management and; at least one decision-maker from the key institutions made use of improved climate and vulnerability information in their coastal adaptation policies.

    Outcome 2:

    • At the end of the project 50% of men and women have declared ownership of adaptation processes (disaggregated by gender).
    • By the end of the project 50% of households increase their income by 50%.
    • 50% of households have improved flood and drought management.
    Contacts:

    UNDP Regional Technical Advisor

    Ministry of Environment, Mozambique

    UNDP CO, Mozambique

    Project Status:
    2012-2016
    Primary Beneficiaries:
    Communities in seven pilot sites in three coastal Provinces in Mozambique, Local Government and national policy-makers.
    Project Details
    Funding Source:
    GEF-LDCF
    Financing Amount:
    GEF Project Grant (LDCF): US$4,433,000
    Cofinancing Total:
    9,677,000 (as of December 2011)
    Total Amounts:
    14,110,000 (as of December 2011)