Adaptation Fund Climate Innovation Accelerator expands with new partners, reinforcing dedication to bolstering community resilience

5 December 2023 - At an event COP28 in Dubai, the Adaptation Fund has announced the expansion of the Adaptation Fund Climate Innovation Accelerator (AFCIA) by welcoming two new partners: the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the World Food Programme (WFP). 

 

Community-driven initiatives, known for their cost-effectiveness and adaptability to unique challenges in the Global South, empower communities to build resilience from the grassroots level. The AFCIA programme stands as a groundbreaking innovation accelerator program, igniting and scaling innovative solutions for community resilience in developing countries. It aims to generate evidence of effective solutions that can be scaled up. 

 

Positioned under the multi-partner platform Adaptation Innovation Marketplace (AIM), launched by UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner in 2021, this strategic initiative focuses on promoting scaled-up adaptation at the local level, with an emphasis on civil society, non-governmental organizations, and innovative individuals from the women and youth sectors. 

 

With funding of US$16 million from the Adaptation Fund and the European Union, the UNDP-implemented AFCIA programme supports the development of locally-led, innovative adaptation practices, tools, and technologies across 33 countries globally. As of November 2023, it has issued approximately $5 million to 44 civil society organizations through micro ($60,000) and small grants ($125,000). 

 

Under the AFCIA partnership, UNIDO and WFP will administer programmes that will issue small grants and provide technical support globally to local actors, amounting to $20 million. This initiative responds to the alarming gap in international adaptation financing, which falls significantly short of projected needs.