Channeling GTZ expertise into adaptation efforts in Africa

Climate change is a major threat to sustainable growth and development in Africa. Urgent action is needed. This includes the provision of more support through international cooperation to our partner countries in their struggle to adapt to climatic changes. Although the African continent is the least responsible for climate change, it is particularly vulnerable to its impacts. GTZ can positively contribute to adaption by building on its expertise and partnerships within sectors at risk like water resources or agriculture, and on coping techniques like risk management. Supporting our partners in their capacity development to enable complex reform and change processes and mainstreaming adaptation into development rank high on our agenda.

Africa: A vulnerable continent

It has become clear that climate change poses direct threats to sustainable development and poverty reduction. Climate prognoses point towards rising temperatures and more extreme weather anomalies. Water stress in the form of droughts and floods may affect millions of people. More than 5% of Africa’s fertile lands may lose their productivity, turning to arid and semi-arid zones by 2080 and presenting major challenges for water and food security.

A broad range of programmes

GTZ’s support to partner countries, which are working to respond to and prepare for these future challenges, ranges from specific climate change programmes  to mainstreaming adaptation competencies into ongoing programmes to make them more climate resilient. On behalf of the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), GTZ is implementing many measures that address the consequences of climate change, particularly in the water sector, in the fight against deforestation and the promotion of clean and renewable energy. Awareness raising, communication and networking form the basis of our mutual efforts to identify potential risks and carefully design interventions. On behalf of BMZ, GTZ has developed and introduced a climate proofing procedure for all cooperation activities. GTZ also works with the German Ministry for Environment (BMU) to implement adaptation projects under the International Climate Initiative, for example in Mali and Ethiopia.

Going for results

Some of our specific adaptation results in Africa:

• In Uganda support for reforms in the water sector and capacity building have over the years contributed significantly to improved water supply. An adaptation component has recently been added to an ongoing GTZ water programme to support preparations for increasing rainfall variability. The National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA) provided guidance for the design of this new component.
• In Kenya coffee growers increasingly face declining harvests and coffee bean quality, with negative impacts on income. Cooperatives of a fair trade company were trained to identify on-farm options to stabilise harvests. They now use cooperative strategies such as agro-forestry, to counteract the effects of climate change.
• In Mali rural and urban areas are increasingly under climate stress. The sectoral investment framework for sustainable land management is an important entry point for promoting sustainable land use. GTZ supports the Ministry of Environment to systematically climate proof high leverage, individual investments, and implements other activities to support adaptation to climate change.

Reducing climate-related risks requires multi-level stakeholder coordination and communication. Institutional innovation and strengthening of capacities must be encouraged. The forthcoming debate on development cooperation with Africa will without a doubt be driven by climate change, locally as well as globally. Ecosystems and biodiversity, water resources, agriculture, forestry and coastal zones, as well as global agreements and financing mechanisms will be high on the agenda.

Andreas Proksch, Director General Africa Department, GTZ