Strengthening Adaptive Capacity & Resilience to Climate Change in the Agrarian & Water Sectors in Guinea-Bissau

Project details

Guinea-Bissau, located in West Africa, is relatively small in size (36,000 km²) and population (1.5 million), with a low-lying land mass and an archipelago comprising a large number of islands. These characteristics render the country highly vulnerable in particular to sea level rise, flooding, and related saline intrusion associated with climate change. Guinea-Bissau falls within two climatic regions. The sub-Guinean region covers the coastal zone and is characterised by intense rains (1,500-2,500 mm/year), relatively limited variations in temperature, and high humidity. The drier eastern part of the country is characterised by low rainfall (1,000-1,500 mm/year) and large variations in both temperature and humidity between rainy and dry seasons. This eastern part of the country, home to the majority of the population, is vulnerable to desertification due to intensified farming practices and climate change.

Guinea-Bissau is impoverished, with low levels of human development and high levels of indebtedness. Guinea-Bissau ranks 173 out of 182 countries in the world for its levels of human development (UNDP HDI 2009). The country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is USD430m, with 66% of the population below the poverty line and a Gross National Income per capita of USD524 (WB 2010; WB 2009). Guinea-Bissau’s economy is highly reliant on rain-fed agricultural production: the agricultural sector, dominated by cashew, is the most important sector of the country’s economy, contributing 55% of GDP and employing 82% of the population. The country’s remaining GDP comes from the services (32%) and industry (13%) sectors (WB, 2009). Guinea-Bissau’s natural environment is vulnerable to increasing desertification in the Sahelian zone, deforestation due to domestic fuel demands, overfishing and saline intrusion in agricultural areas. Guinea-Bissau is a significant carbon sink due to prevalence of mangrove, tropical and savanna forest vegetation.

Awareness of climate change amongst national level decision makers in Guinea-Bissau is gradually increasing, though remains low amongst other sectors of the population. Inclusive and consultative processes employed to develop the First National Communication on Climate Change and the NAPA have assisted this shift. As part of both processes, key decision-makers discussed climate-change-related challenges that the country will be likely to face in the future. Awareness of environmental considerations is also increasing: the President of the Republic recently called for the inclusion of environmental considerations into all spheres of the country’s governance and civil society activities (3/18/2010, Bissau Digital). However, adaptation to climate change is not yet internalised or mainstreamed within key institutions at technical, strategic or political levels.

Against this background, support from the LDCF will be used to address systemic, institutional and individual capacity gaps to manage water resources and agrarian resources (including agriculture and livestock) in the face of a changing climate. If successful, the project will pave the way for Guinea-Bissau to make tangible long term progress towards climate change adaptation through a more comprehensive and sustained approach. The proposed interventions aim to increase resilience and adaptive capacity towards addressing the additional risks posed by climate change upon the country’s agricultural and water sectors.

The programme will be conducted along a three-pronged approach:

• Firstly, the project will focus on increasing the capacity of key stakeholders to integrate climate change concerns into the policy frameworks, management and operational mechanisms of the water and agriculture sectors. Appropriate changes to strategies, policies, and measures, as well as sectoral budgeting and monitoring systems, will be introduced, based on assessments of climate risk and mainstreaming into the regulatory frameworks and decision-making processes relevant for integrated agriculture and water resource management.
• Secondly, the project will demonstrate how strengthening resilience to climate pressures can be successfully carried out on a pilot/demonstration basis, through site-level interventions. Based on the priority criteria, defined in the NAPA, the programme will be targeting the eastern region of the country (Pitche and Pirada sectors in the Gabú region).
• Thirdly, based on lessons learned in the process, the project will outline a strategy for replicating successes and best practices, for use in other highly vulnerable areas within Guinea-Bissau and in other countries facing similar climate risks.

Information taken from Guinea-Bissau UNDP Project Document dated March 15^th, 2011

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Key results & output

Outcome 1: Climate change risks and adaptation measures integrated into key national policies, plans and programs for water, agriculture and livestock management

• Output 1.1: Relevant agencies increase capacity to identify and manage climate risks and vulnerability and to plan and implement adaptation measures within the agrarian and water sector
• Output 1.2: Climate-resilient water and agriculture management plans revised and adopted
• Output 1.3: Decision-makers and wider stakeholders have the capacity to engage in climate risk and adaptation analysis through raised awareness and understanding
• Output 1.4: Improved data collection, storage, analysis and climate forecasting system, including establishment of Early Warning System.
• Output 1.5: A strategy for consolidated and effective financial management of Guinea-Bissau’s adaptation activities is developed and initiated

Outcome 2: Small and medium scale climate change adaptation practices for water and agrarian resource management are demonstrated and implemented in the selected region

• Output 2.1: Raised awareness of climate change and vulnerabilities amongst senior regional/district officials, decision-makers and stakeholders
• Output 2.2: Water conservation, drought and flood management techniques demonstrated and implemented as a climate change adaptation measure in 2 sectors (Pitche and Pirada)
• Output 2.3: Agriculture-related management techniques shared, demonstrated and implemented as climate change adaptation measures
• Output 2.4: Livestock-related management techniques shared, demonstrated and implemented as climate change adaptation measures
• Output 2.5: Climate change risk management measures adopted and promoted by regional agricultural, water and livestock technicians amongst communities

Outcome 3. Lessons learned and best practices from pilot activities, capacity development initiatives and policy changes are disseminated

• Output 3.1: National multi-stakeholder forum on climate change resilient best practices in rural areas established and operational
• Output 3.2: The basis for the replication of all site level activities is established
• Output 3.3: Project lessons learnt widely shared
• Output 3.4: Learning, feedback and adaptive management are ensured

Information taken from Guinea-Bissau UNDP Project Document dated March 15^th, 2011

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Monitoring & evaluation

Project Start:

• Project Inception Workshop: will be held within the first 2 months of project start with those with assigned roles in the project organization structure, UNDP country office and where appropriate/feasible regional technical policy and programme advisors as well as other stakeholders.  The Inception Workshop is crucial to building ownership for the project results and to plan the first year annual work plan. 

Quarterly:

• Project Progress Reports (PPR): quartlerly reports will be assembled based on the information recorded and monitored in the UNDP Enhanced Results Based Managment Platform. Risk analysis will be logged and regulary updated in ATLAS.

Annually:

• Annual Project Review/Project Implementation Reports (APR/PIR): This key report is prepared to monitor progress made since project start and in particular for the previous reporting period (30 June to 1 July).  The APR/PIR combines both UNDP and GEF reporting requirements.  

Periodic Monitoring through Site Visits:

• UNDP CO and the UNDP RCU will conduct visits to project sites based on the agreed schedule in the project's Inception Report/Annual Work Plan to assess first hand project progress.  Other members of the Project Board may also join these visits.  A Field Visit Report/BTOR will be prepared by the CO and UNDP RCU and will be circulated no less than one month after the visit to the project team and Project Board members.

Mid-Term of Project Cycle:

• Mid-Term Evaluation: will determine progress being made toward the achievement of outcomes and will identify course correction if needed.  It will focus on the effectiveness, efficiency and timeliness of project implementation; will highlight issues requiring decisions and actions; and will present initial lessons learned about project design, implementation and management.  Findings of this review will be incorporated as recommendations for enhanced implementation during the final half of the project’s term.  

End of Project:

• Final Evaluation: will take place three months prior to the final Project Board meeting and will be undertaken in accordance with UNDP and GEF guidance.  The final evaluation will focus on the delivery of the project’s results as initially planned (and as corrected after the mid-term evaluation, if any such correction took place).  The final evaluation will look at impact and sustainability of results, including the contribution to capacity development and the achievement of global environmental benefits/goals.  The Terminal Evaluation should also provide recommendations for follow-up activities.
• Project Terminal Report: This comprehensive report will summarize the results achieved (objectives, outcomes, outputs), lessons learned, problems met and areas where results may not have been achieved.  It will also lay out recommendations for any further steps that may need to be taken to ensure sustainability and replicability of the project’s results.

Learning and Knowledge Sharing:

• Results from the project will be disseminated within and beyond the project intervention zone through existing information sharing networks and forums. 
• The project will identify and participate, as relevant and appropriate, in scientific, policy-based and/or any other networks, which may be of benefit to project implementation though lessons learned. The project will identify, analyze, and share lessons learned that might be beneficial in the design and implementation of similar future projects. 
• Finally, there will be a two-way flow of information between this project and other projects of a similar focus. 

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