The Challenge:

Local communities in Liberia have become prone to the adverse effects of global climate change. An increase in temperature, changes in precipitation patterns, and more frequent extreme proceedings resulting in erratic rainfall patterns, floods and crop failures are already being experienced (NAPA, Liberia, 2008). In addition to climate change’s impact on agriculture, coastal ecosystems, coastal settlements and many coastal economies of Liberia have become extremely vulnerable to impacts of global climate change including rising sea levels, sea erosion, intensifying storm surges, extreme precipitation, and coastal flooding.

The Intervention:

With funding from the Green Climate Fund through United Nations Development Programme (UNDP),  VOSIEDA conducts climate change vulnerability and climate risk assessments on key sectors including agriculture and coastal ecosystem; developing pilot sites for demonstration of agriculture resilience and coastal ecosystem-based adaptation practices. The objectives are 1) to enable local farming and coastal communities to develop the knowledge base and capacity required to adapt and safeguard their agricultural systems and livelihoods as well as protect/enhance coastal ecosystems and communities. 2) To empower Liberian national policymakers in facilitating the integration of climate change adaptation into national development planning processes.

The direct beneficiaries of the project are the Environment Planning Authority and the National Climate Change Secretariat. Key government partners and stakeholders are the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Gender, Children & Social Protection (MoGCSP), National Disaster Management Agency, National Port Authority of Liberia, Liberia Maritime Authority, Bureau of National Fisheries, Liberia National Department of Meteorology, Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services and University of Liberia and Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism (MICAT).

The project is supporting Liberia to put in place a National Adaptation Planning process that would contribute to and build upon existing development planning strategies at the same time be able to implement priority adaptation actions.

Key facts:

Sector:  Climate Change, Agriculture, and Ecosystem Adaptations
Domain: Environment and Natural Resources Security
Benefiting zone: Liberia (Grand Cape Mounty and Nimba Counties)
Nature: Action Grants