Climate Change Adaptation In Africa Research Articles

Are farmers’ climate change adaptation strategies understated? Evidence from two communities in Northern Ethiopian Highlands

Research and policy analyses of climate change adaptation in Africa are often centre to examine adjustments in agricultural operations. This mainly bases on a misconception that rural households merely depend on agriculture for their livelihoods. This research aimed at positioning livelihood (farm and non-farm activities) as the centre of climate adaptation strategies to better understand rural households’ adaptation strategic options and capacities, using two rural communities in the Northern highlands of Ethiopia. The result showed that rural households have broader options both in farm and non-farm strategies for combating adverse climate condition than previously reported. A strong and positive association are found between wealth indicators such as farm size (0.08) and productive assets (0.0917) with farm-level adaptation strategies such as short maturing crop and irrigation. Non-farm adaptation strategies (such as business activities and wage employment) are, mainly, influenced by household demographic characteristics such as age of the household head (0.01) and adult household size (0.09). This indicates that there is no specific adaptation strategy panacea for rural households. Rather, rural households use a mix of strategies to meet the particular agro-ecological settings (for farm-level adaptation strategies), and infrastructure and the location of the community, which enable to access market and other services (for non-farm adaptation strategies). Thus, national level climate policies and strategies need to be tailored to address the specific agro-ecology, and infrastructure of the local area and the socio-economic context of the households in the two communities. In this regard, the different levels of government and non-governmental organizations should provide more adaptation measures on agricultural extension services, access to loans, roads, transport, market, knowledge and creation of wage employment and business opportunities in the vicinity of rural communities and its surrounding towns.

2 Employment and social trends by region

Chapter 2 presents labour market trends by broadly defined region and predominantly shows how decent work deficits affect all regions to different degrees. For each region, key labour market indicators are analysed, alongside an assessment of the region's overall economic development. This is followed by a focus on different thematic areas per region, including the job creation potential from climate change adaptation in Africa, implications for jobs with the just transition in the Arab States and ongoing shortages of migrant workers in Southeast Asia from the COVID‐19 pandemic. The thematic areas were proposed by regional experts and reflect pressing problems related to decent work in the respective region.

The role of indigenous knowledge in climate change adaptation in Africa

Africa is particularly affected by climate change due to its exposure to climate hazards, high vulnerability, and low adaptive capacity. Yet, Africa is also a continent rich in Indigenous and Local Knowledge (ILK) that has a long history of informing responses to climatic variability and change. This paper explores the extent to which ILK has been used in climate change adaptation in Africa. It deploys a bibliometric analysis to describe the connections between ILK and climatic change adaptation in Africa, complemented by an analysis of ILK literature and case studies. We consider four key dimensions of ILK, 1) type, 2) contexts of application, 3) value for adaptation, and 4) outcomes and effects in responses to climate change in Africa. Examples drawn from 19 countries across Africa highlight ILK systems are closely connected with biocultural relationships associated with observed patterns of climate change and where adaptation can be more effective when informed by ILK. This body of knowledge is critical to the delivery of climate change adaptation in Africa. The paper suggests some measures through which ILK may be more widely leveraged, both for improved adaptation outcomes, as well as enhancing the biocultural heritage value of ILK systems across Africa. The study commends the remarkable value of ILK in Africa for climate change adaptation and its value for supplementing climate services, particularly in areas with limited access to modern climate and weather forecasts as well as the encouragement of Indigenous communities to develop senses of ownership and active contribution to the sustainability of the future interventions.

The Readiness Index for Climate Change Adaptation in Africa: The Role of Climate and Adaptive Capacity Proxies

As global changes continue, the repercussions in Africa remain profound. This is reflected notably in food and water crises across Africa. This work examines the readiness of Africa to climate change adaptation through a newly developed readiness index (ClimAdaptCap Index). In fact, this work shifts the readiness debate from emotional descriptions that currently flood academic scholarship to a more pragmatic evidence-based approach in assessing readiness. Readiness for climate change adaptation is driven by the intensity of climate forcing and adaptive capacity. The historical climate score data or precipitation and temperature for the period 1991–2016 were culled from the World Bank Climate Portal. The historical adaptive capacity score data included proxies such as poverty and literacy rates from 1991 to 2016 were collected from the World Bank and Macrotrends. The climate data were normalized using the normalization function to enhance interpretation, comparison, and fusion into the index. Missing poverty and literacy rate data were estimated by linear interpolation of the poverty and literacy rate data. The ClimAdaptCap Index was developed to compute readiness. This index is the first of its kind and will serve as a flagship for assessing readiness for climate change adaptation as it is highly adaptable to different contexts. This work’s first-ever maps of readiness show that North and Southern Africa are the readiest for climate change adaptation under historical climate and literacy and poverty conditions. West Africa is the least ready while Middle and East Africa are in the middle. Consistent is that readiness has a positive correlation with literacy rates and an inverse one with poverty rates. In addition, with readiness scores of between 0.35 and 0.39 for all the regions with a maximum potential score of 1, this work has shown that the level of readiness in Africa is generally low, and there is a very small variation between the different regions. In addition, climate change adaptation will highly be influenced by both climatic and non-climatic indicators. The developed readiness index adequately simulates readiness to climate change adaptation in Africa and complements previous frameworks of adaptation preparedness.

Quantifying international public finance for climate change adaptation in Africa

ABSTRACT Under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, international financial assistance is expected to support African and other developing countries as they prepare for and adapt to the impacts of climate change. The impact of this finance depends on how much finance is mobilized and where it is targeted. However, there has been no comprehensive quantitative mapping of adaptation-related finance flows to African countries to date. Here we track development finance principally targeting adaptation from bilateral and multilateral funders to Africa between 2014 and 2018. We find that the amounts of finance are well below the scale of investment needed for adaptation in Africa, which is a region with high vulnerability to climate change and low adaptation capacity. Finance targeting mitigation (US$30.6 billion) was almost double that for adaptation (US$16.5 billion). The relative share of each varies greatly among African countries. More adaptation-related finance was provided as loans (57%) than grants (42%) and half the adaptation finance has targeted just two sectors: agriculture; and water supply and sanitation. Disbursement ratios for adaptation in this period are 46%, much lower than for total development finance in Africa (at 96%). These are all problematic patterns for Africa, highlighting that more adaptation finance and targeted efforts are needed to ensure that financial commitments translate into meaningful change on the ground for African communities. Key policy insights Between 2014 and 2018, adaptation-related finance committed by bilateral and multilateral funders to African countries remained well below US$5.5 billion per year, or roughly US$5 per person per year; these amounts are well below the estimates of adaptation costs in Africa. Funders have not strategically targeted support for adaptation activities towards the most vulnerable to climate change African countries. Lessons from countries that have been more successful in accessing finance point to the value of more sophisticated domestic adaptation policies and plans; of alignment with priorities of the NDC; of meeting funding requirements of specific funders; and of the strategic use of climate funds by national planners. A low adaptation finance disbursement ratio in this period in Africa (at 46%) relates to barriers impeding the full implementation of adaptation projects: low grant to loan ratio; requirements for co-financing; rigid rules of climate funds; and inadequate programming capacity within many countries.

Indigenous knowledge and climate change adaptation in Africa: a systematic review

Abstract Indigenous people are often considered victims of climate change impact rather than agents of adaptation. Emerging studies in Africa have shifted the attention to indigenous knowledge (IK) to support the development of effective climate change adaptation strategies. This study adopted a systematic literature review methodology to analyse the following: (i) characterization of IK, (ii) potential of IK for knowledge co-production, (iii) IK for climate change causes and impact identification, (iv) IK for formulating and implementing climate change interventions, and (v) documentation and conservation of IK as a resource for climate change adaptation. Results show that there is no consensus on the definition of IK. However, certain identical elements in the available definitions are relevant for contextualization. IK has been useful in the formulation of different climate change adaptation strategies: management practices, early warning, and risk and disaster management. IK has the potential for knowledge co-production relevant for developing robust adaptation measures. Weather and climate services remain a critical area where IK and scientific knowledge (SK) are integrated to enhance forecast reliability and acceptability for local communities. IK is disappearing because of modernization and rural-urban migration, changing landscape and shifting religious beliefs. We suggest the need for more research into the complexity of the IK, proper documentation and storage of IK, and developing effective approaches to integrate IK with SK such that it is well received among researchers and policymakers. While doing this, it is important to maintain the unique features that distinguish IK from other forms of knowledge.

From Differentiated Responsibilities to Climate Apartheid: Discourses of Inequality Around Climate Change Adaptation in Africa

From Differentiated Responsibilities to Climate Apartheid: Discourses of Inequality Around Climate Change Adaptation in Africa

Strengthening climate change adaptation capacity in Africa- case studies from six major African cities and policy implications

Africa is one of the most vulnerable regions in respect of climate change. As the African continent struggles to adapt to climate change, a variety of measures are being pursued to alleviate the resultant pressures on people, properties and their livelihoods in several African cities. Collectively, they show that climate change adaptation in Africa is not as hopeless as widely claimed, and that there are some promising prospects. The literature shows a deficiency on studies which examine the extent to which climate change adaptation is being pursued in African cities. This paper addresses this need, and outlines some of the most important climate threats (e.g. increasing temperatures, droughts, sea level rise, sea and river flooding) and synergic non-climate factors, as well as recent progress made in respect of implementing climate change adaptation in African cities. Rather than adopt a general description of trends, this research focuses on concrete case studies from six major cities across the central, western, and eastern regions of the African continent (Douala, Lagos City, Dar-es-Salaam, Accra, Addis Ababa and Mombasa). The vulnerability and adaptive capacity status of the studied cities are discussed. Difficulties and challenges encountered in implementing adaptation policies in these areas are also highlighted. Furthermore, some successful examples of climate change adaptation initiatives in the surveyed cities are provided. Finally, the paper outlines some of the policy measures which can be implemented towards strengthening the capacity of African cities to adapt to a changing climate.

Understanding climate change adaptation in Africa: key considerations

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to synthesise lessons from research on adaptation to demonstrate that African countries can explore the opportunities and challenges inherent in climate variability and change.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is a review work which synthesises lessons from relevant journal articles and other related documents. The literature was retrieved from Google and Google Scholar using search terms such as climate change, climate change and mitigation, climate change and mitigation in Africa, climate change adaptation and mitigation in Africa, climate change vulnerability, climate change impacts, among others. Various combinations of the search terms were also deployed. The journals were subjected to critical review and key lessons synthesised from them and reflections on their future implications in relation to climate risks and vulnerability presented.FindingsKey lessons were synthesised and reflections on their future implications in relation to climate risks and vulnerability were presented. The evidence seems to suggest that countries in Africa recognise that it is time for them to take action on the impacts of climate change. The key lessons which emerge, going forward, are that climate change adaptation should be mainstreamed into development plans of nations. All efforts should be geared towards sustaining livelihoods of people. Key stakeholders also have a role to play in adaptation. The paper has indicated that although a lot has happened, there are areas that require strengthening and that should be the focus and priority of change and policy makers for the future.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper is a synthesis and reflection of existing literature and it is possible that some of the dynamics may have changed since the paper was published.Practical implicationsThe dynamics of climate change adaptation is understood. The approaches to adaptation are also explored. Areas worth prioritising in the discourse of adaptation studies have also been indicated.Originality/valueThe syntheses provided are the reflections of the author. The views of the researcher provide insights and understanding into the current adaptation debate.

Institutional challenges to climate change adaptation: A case study on policy action gaps in Uganda

Despite the considerable progress made in the last decade towards building governance systems for climate change adaptation in Africa, implementation still limits positive responses. This study applies an iterative process of field assessments and literature reviews across multiple governance levels and spatial scales to identify constraints to effective formulation and implementation of climate change related policies and strategies in Uganda. Data was collected through sex-segregated participatory vulnerability assessments with farming communities in Rakai district, policy document reviews, and interviews with policy actors at national and district levels. Findings reveal that the key challenges to effective policy implementation are diverse and cut across the policy development and implementation cycle. Policies are mainly developed by central government agencies; other actors are insufficiently involved while local communities are excluded. There is also a communication disconnect between national, district, and community levels. Coupled with limited technical capacity and finances, political interference, and absence of functional implementation structures across these levels, climate change adaptation becomes constrained. We propose strategies that enhance linkages between levels and actors, which will improve policy formulation, implementation and ultimately adaptation by smallholders.

Community-based Environmental Resource Management Systems for Sustainable Livelihood and Climate Change Adaptation: A Review of Best Practices in Africa

The study used secondary sources to review best practices in community-based environmental resource management systems for sustainable livelihood and climate change adaptation in Africa. The best p...

Projections of rapidly rising surface temperatures over Africa under low mitigation

An analysis of observed trends in African annual-average near-surface temperatures over the last five decades reveals drastic increases, particularly over parts of the subtropics and central tropical Africa. Over these regions, temperatures have been rising at more than twice the global rate of temperature increase. An ensemble of high-resolution downscalings, obtained using a single regional climate model forced with the sea-surface temperatures and sea-ice fields of an ensemble of global circulation model (GCM) simulations, is shown to realistically represent the relatively strong temperature increases observed in subtropical southern and northern Africa. The amplitudes of warming are generally underestimated, however. Further warming is projected to occur during the 21st century, with plausible increases of 4–6 °C over the subtropics and 3–5 °C over the tropics by the end of the century relative to present-day climate under the A2 (a low mitigation) scenario of the Special Report on Emission Scenarios. High impact climate events such as heat-wave days and high fire-danger days are consistently projected to increase drastically in their frequency of occurrence. General decreases in soil-moisture availability are projected, even for regions where increases in rainfall are plausible, due to enhanced levels of evaporation. The regional dowscalings presented here, and recent GCM projections obtained for Africa, indicate that African annual-averaged temperatures may plausibly rise at about 1.5 times the global rate of temperature increase in the subtropics, and at a somewhat lower rate in the tropics. These projected increases although drastic, may be conservative given the model underestimations of observed temperature trends. The relatively strong rate of warming over Africa, in combination with the associated increases in extreme temperature events, may be key factors to consider when interpreting the suitability of global mitigation targets in terms of African climate change and climate change adaptation in Africa.

Effects of Temperature and Rainfall Shocks on Economic Growth in Africa

This paper examines the impact of temperature and rainfall volatility on economic growth in 46 African countries. We employ the Bayesian hierarchical modeling approach which allows us to estimate both country level and Africa-wide impact of climate change and extreme events on economic growth in Africa. Our results show that a 1 0 Celsius increase in temperature leads to 1.58 percentage points decline in economic growth while temperature shock reduces economic growth by 3.22 percentage points. A 1 percent change or shock in rainfall leads to a 6.7 percent change in economic growth. The impact of temperature changes across the 46 countries ranges from-1.24 percent to-1.82 percent in GDP. There are proximity effects on the impact. To maximize the benefits of economies of scale, the paper suggests combined national, cross countries and continental approaches to climate change adaptation in Africa.

The status of climate change adaptation in Africa and Asia

Adaptation is a key component of climate policy, yet we have limited and fragmented understanding of if and how adaptation is currently taking place. In this paper, we document and characterize the current status of adaptation in 47 vulnerable ‘hotspot’ nations in Asia and Africa, based on a systematic review of the peer-reviewed and grey literature, as well as policy documents, to extract evidence of adaptation initiatives. In total, 100 peer-reviewed articles, 161 grey literature documents, and 27 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change National Communications were reviewed, constituting 760 adaptation initiatives. Results indicate a significant increase in reported adaptations since 2006. Adaptations are primarily being reported from African and low-income countries, particularly those nations receiving adaptation funds, involve a combination of groundwork and more concrete adaptations to reduce vulnerability, and are primarily being driven by national governments, NGOs, and international institutions, with minimal involvement of lower levels of government or collaboration across nations. Gaps in our knowledge of adaptation policy and practice are particularly notable in North Africa and Central Asia, and there is limited evidence of adaptation initiatives being targeted at vulnerable populations including socioeconomically disadvantaged populations, children, indigenous peoples, and the elderly.

Enhancing climate change adaptation in Africa assessing the role of local institutions in Southern Benin

The paper analyses the capacities of different local institutions to enhance farmers' climate change adaptation (CCA) strategies in Southern Benin. Results are used to reflect on the international support to CCA for developing countries. The study is based on field researches led among farmers' households in Southern Benin, on interviews conducted among governmental and non-governmental institutions, and on analysis of relevant literature. Constraints and opportunities to the development of adaptation practices, and their relation to institutional support (or lack of support) are examined. In addition, the impact of farmers' perceptions of institutions is studied. Results highlight that State institutions are currently unable to support adaptive capacities. On the contrary, non-governmental organizations have promoted agricultural adaptive strategies to cope with changing climate patterns. Findings, furthermore, highlight a lack of trust in state institutions among farmers, while traditional chiefs and local organizations are trusted, even when their capacities to provide support are limited. The results question the ability of state institutions to enhance adaptation in the local communities: they, therefore, challenge the significant role given to governmental structures in the international support to CCA in developing countries, for instance, in the National Adaptation Programmes of Action. Suggestions to better support adaptive capacities at the local level are discussed in the concluding section.

UNEP launches new initiative to support climate change adaptation in Africa

UNEP launches new initiative to support climate change adaptation in Africa

IMPACT OF PROJECTED CLIMATE CHANGE ON AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION IN SEMI-ARID AREAS OF TANZANIA: A CASE OF SAME DISTRICT

Thanks to Tanzania Meteorological Agency for provision of long-term climatic data for Same district. This project was funded by the Climate Change Adaptation in Africa (CCAA) programme, a joint initiative of Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID).

Participatory action research (PAR) as an entry point for supporting climate change adaptation by smallholder farmers in Africa

Emerging trends of a changing and increasingly variable climate have introduced new livelihood challenges in rain-fed smallholder agricultural systems that predominate in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The capacity of local farming communities and their institutions to respond to the new and emerging impacts of climate change is often constrained by lack of access to information and improved technologies, as well as poor support mechanisms to promote assimilation of new knowledge. This threatens to heighten vulnerability of the majority of SSA's rural communities who are already facing severe problems of food insecurity and a declining soil resource base. In this paper we use two case studies from Wenchi district in Ghana and Makoni in Zimbabwe to communicate how participatory action research (PAR) methodology, characterised by iterative planning–action–reflection cycles, was coupled with a new concept of field-based farmer learning centres to build adaptive capacity of smallholder farmers to climate change. The study was part of a University of Zimbabwe—led project supported under the Climate Change Adaptation in Africa (CCAA) programme to explore the state of resilience in African smallholder farming. The PAR and learning centre processes enabled communities, local leaders, and extension agents and researchers to establish the, hither to, imperceptible link between poor soil fertility and rising institutional challenges within communities. Institutional conflicts related to land tenure and sharecropping arrangements between migrant farmers and native landowners were addressed in Ghana, while local institutions supporting traditional social safety net mechanisms were revitalized in Zimbabwe. In both cases, it was apparent that farmers faced multiple stresses, at the core of which were poor and declining soil fertility and weakening local institutions. The worsening rainfall distribution and increasing cases of drought are broadening the scope for vulnerability, often driving competing claims and conflicts. PAR was successfully used as an entry point, empowering communities to self-mobilize and self-organize to co-learn and experiment with integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) technologies and other improved farming practices. They realised opportunities for achieving high crop yields and generate surpluses in good years. Strengthening local institutional capacity to revitalise community safety nets proved an essential ingredient for enhancing adaptive capacity of smallholders to climatic shocks. The PAR process was a major driver of effective partnerships among community members, extension, policy makers and researchers, but ensuing success generated a new set of social challenges that could not be addressed within the short timescale of the project. We conclude that PAR was a suitable mechanism for supporting self-organization and co-learning processes among smallholder farmers and their service providers, enabling them to use ISFM technologies and strengthen their local institutions around natural resource management. This revealed the scope for building adaptive capacity of these communities against climate change and variability.

A basis for climate change adaptation in Africa: burdens ahead and policy options

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to review and document some of the climate change impacts which may burden the African continent, and to suggest policy options for adaptation.Design/methodology/approachThe paper presents a comprehensive review of published papers on climate change impacts and adaptation.FindingsIt has been documented that by 2050, the world will have to limit emissions of all greenhouse gases to the equivalent of 400 GT of carbon in order to stand a 75 per cent chance of avoiding more than 2°C of warming. This is practically impossible because there are not enough resources and technology to achieve that target. Even if all of the emissions are stopped in next few years, it will take the next 40 years for the world to follow its current trend before full recovery. Thus, climate will continue to change, its impacts will continue to increase and Africa is placed as the most vulnerable continent. The only best solution is that the vulnerable population should be first in line for support to adapt to climate change impacts. In such instances adaptation policy should recognise and support a wide range of options for building resilient and sustainable livelihoods, enhancing opportunities available for adaptation, without ignoring the need to address the existing developmental challenges.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper relies on secondary source of information.Practical implicationsThe paper is a valuable input towards the preparation of adaptation policy in developing countries.Originality/valueThis paper relied on review of secondary data (published articles) thus providing critical findings from a number of field studies.

Experiences of Climate Change Adaptation in Africa

Experiences of Climate Change Adaptation in Africa