Project: WOTR – SDC Partnership on Climate Change Adaptation

Climate Change: Adaptation

Project: WOTR – SDC Partnership on

Climate Change Adaptation

BACKGROUND

India, like other developing countries, is likely to bear the brunt of climate change. The poorest communities will suffer as they often inhabit areas where extreme weather events such as drought, storms, and floods can occur. The fact that they live with low income and rely on climate sensitive sectors such as agriculture for their survival adds to their vulnerability.

So far little validated field experience exists in the area of climate change and the capacities of the poor and vulnerable to cope with the consequences. In India, the National Action Plan on Combating Climate Change (NAPCC), put in place in

2008, has outlined several measures to address adaptation, while keeping on track with the country’s development objectives. The NAPCC provides a framework for the national government to collaborate with international agencies such as the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). The purpose is to develop new knowledge and innovative solutions to help address the challenges brought on by climate change. At the same time efforts to reduce poverty are intensified. Another reason for a collaboration is that both, India and Switzerland have common political, social, scientific, economic and environmental interests to address issues related to adaptation to climate change.

The Watershed Organisation Trust – Swiss Development Cooperation (WOTR-SDC) Partnership on Climate Change Adaptation is expected to contribute to this end. In the semi-arid areas of Maharashtra the project will generate new knowledge on how to build the capacity of vulnerable communities, local authorities, local self government institutions (Panchayti Raj Institutions), academic, research and financial institutions, as well as NGOs and community based organizations to adapt to the effects of climate change. Preserving and developing ecosystems for sustainable livelihoods is at the core of the project. Overall adaptation models will be tailored to local conditions, weather based scientific advisories to support better agricultural production will be developed and transmitted to interested parties, and biodiversity conservation will be enhanced. Communities that follow low carbon growth and practices and eventually become carbon neutral will be promoted. At the same time disaster risk reduction practices are endorsed, and effective governance mechanisms will be put in place. The WOTR-SDC project is seen as part of a larger Western India adaptation programme in semi-arid and drought prone areas, involving a number of Indian and Swiss organizations and scientific institutions.

GOAL

The overall goal of the project is that communities, especially the poor and marginalized communities, live in dignity and possess the capacity to secure their livelihood in climate resilient and sustainable ecosystems. The project seeks to generate new knowledge, strategies, approaches, measures and processes that enable the vulnerable communities to cope with and adapt to climate change.

BUDGET

PARTNERS

Indian and Swiss Institutions.

PROJECT

LOCATION

SUCCESS HIGHLIGHT

“The project has started in 2009 and has already helped in raising the awareness of communities on the impact of climate change. This happened through campaigns, capacity building and by specifically addressing climate change issues in village development meetings.”

LINKS

www.wotr.org

APPROACHES

• The project assesses

and monitors the vulnerabilities and capacities of communities. The adaptation measures put in place will be dovetailed with programmes of the government, donors and other funding agencies. Most of the activities under the project will be innovative, exploratory and experimental in nature, with built-in flexibility based on existing and emerging circumstances.

• SDC will focus on

measures that help manage climate risks and build response capacities to climate change. Adaptation goes hand in hand with promotion of global public goods and environmental objectives such as biodiversity conservation and carbon sequestration.

• This multiple stakeholder

project will be co-funded by national level organizations like the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).

RESULTS

The project is expected to contribute to increased productivity of natural and other resources that lead to an improved quality of life among the most vulnerable.

Local authorities and local governance, finance, research and academic institutions will eventually have governance mechanisms in place to manage regenerated ecosystems in a sustainable way. Through generation, documentation and dissemination of information, the project ensures that adaptation to climate change is integrated into government policies as well as into key programmes at the state and national level.

WOTR, the partner organization, should become a referral agency and knowledge hub for national and international stakeholders in regard to practice oriented climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction.

Food security will be enhanced through agricultural practices, which do not require high external inputs, such as chemical fertilizers and pesticides.

Communities are expected to become aware of the impact of climate change and will have access to advisory services based on local weather forecasts.

Good governance will be integrated into all interventions. A gender balanced approach is indispensable to reduce drudgery, hardship as well as the carbon footprint.

Alternate, clean and renewable energy sources will be promoted at the community level.

Potential financial instruments, such as weather insurance, will be promoted to reduce vulnerability.

The knowledge gained will be captured, analysed and disseminated to replicate projects on a large scale. Training programmes, exchanges, meetings and exposure visits will enhance cooperation between developing countries.

CONTACT

Watershed Organisation Trust Paryavaran

Ahmed Nagar 414 001 Maharashtra, India. Email: [email protected] Phone: + 91-241-2450188