Vulnerability and Adaptation to Climate Change in the Semi-Arid
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Vulnerability and Adaptation to Climate Change in the Semi-Arid Regions of West Africa 1 About ASSAR Working Papers This series is based on work funded by Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) through the Collaborative Adaptation Research Initiative in Africa and Asia (CARIAA). CARIAA aims to build the resilience of vulnerable populations and their livelihoods in three climate change hot spots in Africa and Asia. The program supports collaborative research to inform adaptation policy and practice. Titles in this series are intended to share initial findings and lessons from research and background studies commissioned by the program. Papers are intended to foster exchange and dialogue within science and policy circles concerned with climate change adaptation in vulnerability hotspots. As an interim output of the CARIAA program, they have not undergone an external review process. Opinions stated are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the policies or opinions of IDRC, DFID, or partners. Feedback is welcomed as a means to strengthen these works: some may later be revised for peer-reviewed publication. Contact Collaborative Adaptation Research Initiative in Africa and Asia c/o International Development Research Centre PO Box 8500, Ottawa, ON Canada K1G 3H9 Tel: (+1) 613-236-6163; Email: [email protected] Funded by: 2 Vulnerability and Adaptation to Climate Change in Semi-Arid Areas in West Africa Lead author: Jon Padgham1 Contributing authors: Ahmed Abubakari2 Jesse Ayivor2 Katie Dietrich1 Benedicta Fosu-Mensah2 Chris Gordon2 Senay Habtezion1 Elaine Lawson2 Adelina Mensah2 Dan Nukpezah2 Ben Ofori2 Shayne Piltz1 Amadou Sidibé3 Manda Sissoko3 Edmond Totin3 Sibiry Traoré3 Additional contributions: Angie Dazé4 Daniella Echeverría4 1START 2000 Florida Avenue, N.W., Suite 200 Washington, DC USA http://www.start.org 2University of Ghana (UGHANA) Institute for Environment and Sanitation Studies Accra, Ghana http://www.iess.ug.edu.gh 3International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) Bamako, Mali http://www.icrisat.org 4International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) 220 Laurier Avenue West #1400 Ottawa, Canada http://www.iisd.org 3 Table of Contents List of Acronyms ............................................................................................................................ 6 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCING THE REGIONAL DIAGNOSTIC STUDY .................................................. 9 1.1 The ASSAR project in West Africa ...................................................................................... 9 1.2 Regional Diagnostic Study methods ................................................................................ 11 1.2.1 Literature review ................................................................................................. 11 1.2.2 Stakeholder engagement .................................................................................... 12 CHAPTER 2: REGIONAL OVERVIEW.............................................................................................. 16 2.1 Major socio-economic, governmental and environmental characteristics .................... 16 2.1.1 Population and demography ............................................................................... 16 2.1.2 Economic development and growth ................................................................... 17 2.1.3 Development dynamics in dryland West Africa .................................................. 20 2.2 Key socio-ecological systems in the western half of the dryland region ........................ 25 CHAPTER 3: CLIMATE ................................................................................................................... 29 3.1 Climate variability in West Africa .................................................................................... 29 3.2 Climate trends ................................................................................................................. 30 3.3 Trends in extreme rainfall and temperature ................................................................... 32 3.4 Future Climate Projections .............................................................................................. 32 3.4.1 IPCC Fifth Assessment Report findings ................................................................ 32 3.4.2 CORDEX Projections............................................................................................. 34 3.5 Impacts of future climate change on characteristics of the rainy season ....................... 37 CHAPTER 4: RISKS, IMPACTS AND VULNERABILITY ..................................................................... 39 4.1 Overview and context ..................................................................................................... 39 4.2 Who is vulnerable? .......................................................................................................... 40 4.3 What are important climate dimensions of vulnerability? ............................................. 40 4.4 Important risks, impacts and development drivers that influence vulnerability ............ 41 4.4.1 Water resources management ............................................................................ 42 4.4.2 Land degradation and drought ............................................................................ 44 4.4.3 Large-scale land acquisition ................................................................................ 47 4 4.4.4 Changes in pastoralism ........................................................................................ 48 4.4.5 Disease burdens and malnutrition ...................................................................... 49 CHAPTER 5: ADAPTATION ........................................................................................................... 52 5.1 Setting the context for adaptation .................................................................................. 52 5.2 Current risk management practices and their link to climate change adaptation ......... 52 5.2.1 Soil and water conservation in agriculture .......................................................... 52 5.2.2 Water management—small reservoirs and irrigation ......................................... 55 5.2.3 Crop genetic improvement .................................................................................. 56 5.2.4 Access to seasonal weather and climate information......................................... 58 5.2.5 Forest management ............................................................................................ 59 5.2.6 Farming system and livelihoods diversification .................................................. 60 5.2.7 Health responses ................................................................................................. 61 5.2.8 Migration ............................................................................................................. 64 5.3 Gender ............................................................................................................................. 65 5.3.1 An examination of gender in vulnerability and adaptation ................................ 65 5.3.2 Other differentiated forms of vulnerability ......................................................... 67 5.4 Adaptation policy platforms in Ghana and Mali ............................................................. 70 5.4.1 Ghana .................................................................................................................. 70 5.4.2 Mali ...................................................................................................................... 73 5.4.3 Climate finance in West Africa ............................................................................ 78 5.5 Governance aspects of adaptation related to decentralization ...................................... 79 5.5.1 Ghana .................................................................................................................. 80 5.5.2 Mali ...................................................................................................................... 82 5.6 Conclusions ...................................................................................................................... 83 5.6.1 Barriers to and enablers of adaptation ............................................................... 83 5.6.2 Knowledge gaps and needs ................................................................................. 88 CHAPTER 6: References ............................................................................................................... 91 5 List of Acronyms AEDD L'Agence de l'environnement et du développement ASSAR Adaptation at Scale in Semi-Arid Regions CARIAA Collaborative Adaptation Research Initiative in Africa and Asia CBO Community-based organization CCAFS Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security CCLM Climate Change and Land Management CDKN Climate and Development Knowledge Network CEDAW Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women CENSUDI Centre for Sustainable Development Initiative CGIAR Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research CIC Community Information Centres CLURCC Community Land Use Responses to Climate Change CMIP Coupled Model Intercomparison Project COF Climate Outlook Forum CORDEX Coordinated Regional Downscaling Experiment