West Africa is one of the most vulnerable regions in the world, with crippling agricultural losses, recurrent food crises, water scarcity and extreme flooding, and environmental degradation from multiple climate hazards. Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, and Niger face growing vulnerability due to increasing variability in rainfall patterns, which lead to extreme weather events, resulting in intensifying food and livelihood insecurity, and economic and governance instability.

The project aims to enhance adaptive capacities and knowledge and to promote the adoption of climate-responsive practices and innovative financing mechanisms among local governments, communities and enterprises.  It will promote the integration of climate resilience into local governments’ annual planning and budgetary cycles; build the capacity of local governments, communities and enterprises to develop and implement climate change adaptation plans; and support the development of blended financing facilities for local enterprises.

The project will support at least 85 local government jurisdictions across the four countries in addressing the key drivers of their vulnerability to the adverse impacts of climate change.