Strengthening the Resilience of Vulnerable Family Farms to Climate Change in the Fourth Agricultural Development Pole in Benin | Benin FNEC 4 March 2020 Strengthening the Resilience of Vulnerable Family Farms to Climate Project/Programme title: Change in the Fourth Agricultural Development Pole in Benin Country(ies): Benin National Designated Ministry of Living Environment and Sustainable Development Authority(ies) (NDA): Executing Entities: Ministère de l'Agriculture, de l'Elevage et de la Pêche (MAEP), GIZ Accredited Entity(ies) (AE): Fonds National pour L'Environnement Date of first submission/ 3/4/2020 3 V.1 version number: Date of current submission/ 3/4/2020 3 V.1 version number A. Project / Programme Information (max. 1 page) ☒ Project ☒ Public sector A.2. Public or A.1. Project or programme A.3 RFP Not applicable private sector ☐ Programme ☐ Private sector Mitigation: Reduced emissions from: ☐ Energy access and power generation: 0% ☐ Low emission transport: 0% ☐ Buildings, cities and industries and appliances: 0% A.4. Indicate the result ☐ Forestry and land use: 0% areas for the project/programme Adaptation: Increased resilience of: ☒ Most vulnerable people and communities: 50% ☒ Health and well-being, and food and water security: 50% ☐ Infrastructure and built environment: 0% ☐ Ecosystem and ecosystem services: 0% A.5.1. Estimated mitigation impact (tCO2eq over project lifespan) A.5.2. Estimated adaptation impact 149,000 direct beneficiaries (number of direct beneficiaries) A.5. Impact potential A.5.3. Estimated adaptation impact 894,000,405.6 indirect beneficiaries (number of indirect beneficiaries) A.5.4. Estimated adaptation impact 5.6% of the country’s total population (% of total population) A.6. Financing information A.6.1. Indicative GCF funding requested (max Amount: 9,944,941 Currency: USD Financial Instrument: Grants 10M) A.6.2. Indicative co- Amount: 1,205,001 Currency: USD Financial Instrument: Grants financing Institution: MAEP AND FNEC A.6.3. Indicative total project cost (GCF + co- Amount: 11,149,942 Currency: USD finance) disbursement A.6. Estimated duration of period: 5 A.7.2. Estimated project/ 60 project/ programme: repayment period, if Programme lifespan applicable: A.8. Is funding from the A.9. Is the Environmental and ☐ Yes ☒ Yes Project Preparation Social Safeguards Category C or ☒ No No Facility needed? I-3? ☐ Project interventions will consist in the implementation of water and soil A.10. Provide rationale for conservation measures, the restoration of degraded farmlands, the the ESS categorization promotion of alternative farming systems to slash-and-burn shifting (100 words) cultivation and the setting up of an effective mechanism for integrating adaptation monitoring and evaluation in the national agricultural extension Simplified Approval Process CONCEPT NOTE Template V.1.1 GREEN CLIMATE FUND | PAGE 2 OF 20 system. Thus, the activities will not have significant negative impacts on the environment, and will not require any land expropriation or land grabbing, population displacement and/or reallocation of ownership rights of the local populations on lands and natural resources. All activities of the project will be carried out in strict compliance with local and national legislation and property rights. The landscape approach that takes into account rural land plans will be the basis of the implementation of the project to ensure that the interventions do not lead to unsustainable changes and allocations of land and ecosystems A.11. Has the CN been ☒ Yes ☐ Confidential A.12. Confidentiality shared with the NDA? ☐ No ☒ Not confidential Benin is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. The effects of the global warming are already perceptive across the country in terms of temperature increase, rainfall decrease and in several areas and poor rainfall distribution at national level, the shortening of the rainy season A.13. Project/Programme duration, as well as more recurrent and severe drought periods. The rationale, objectives and proposed project aims at supporting adaptation actions in the agricultural approach of programme/project (max sector in the fourth agricultural development pole (PDA4) of Benin. The 100 words) project is structured into three main components: i) large-scale adoption of climate-resilient agricultural production practices, ii) implementation of climate smart and sustainable yam and cashew production systems, and iii) improving the management/governance of climate related risks and information for adaptation of the agricultural sector B. Project / Programme details B.1. Context and Baseline (500 words) Biophysical impacts of climate change in Benin: Benin is highly vulnerable to climate change due to the high natural variability of its climate, the heavy dependence of the economy on rainfed agriculture, the low diversification of the economy and its weak capacity to adapt and to cope with the negative impacts of climate change. The consequences of global warming are reflected throughout the country by an increase in temperatures of 1°C between 1950 and 2005[1], a poor distribution and, in several regions, a decrease in rainfall of up to 275 mm3. Furthermore, shortening of rainy season duration and an increase in the frequency of more severe droughts have been observed[2],[3],[4]. With a global temperature increase of 1.5°C in the future[5], the country is expected to experience more severe and unpredictable weather disturbances. Forecasts indicate an increase in local temperatures of around 2 to 4.5°C by 21009 and highly uncertain seasonal rainfall5,[6] with an increase in the number of years with a shortfall in precipitation5. Extreme events such as floods, droughts and excessive heat waves will also become more frequent and intense in Benin[7]. Studies have shown that in the absence of adaptation measures, climate change will lead to a significant loss of arable land[8] due to extreme temperatures, excessive rainfall, and degradation of topography and soil quality[9]. Specifically, forecasts predict a decrease in prime quality farmland with high agricultural potential, an increase of hydromorphic and water-stress and an expansion of soils with severe climatic or topographic constraints[10]. By deducing rainfall and increasing temperatures, it is also expected that climate change will negatively impact water availability, and therefore increase water stress and conflicts for water and land control9. Socio economic impacts: The physical changes described above will strongly impact economic and Simplified Approval Process CONCEPT NOTE Template V.1.1 GREEN CLIMATE FUND | PAGE 3 OF 20 social systems and increase the vulnerability of populations, whose living conditions are already precarious8. Benin's economy relies mainly on rainfed agriculture[11]. The agricultural sector employs more than 70% of the working population (3,853,368 persons, whereas women with poor access to formal education are responsible for 60-80% of agricultural work), and contributes with 28,3% to the GDP[12]. It provides more than 75% of export revenue and accounts for 15% of national revenue15. This heavy dependence on the rainfed agriculture makes the country particularly vulnerable to the climate disturbances. Agricultural production will be seriously compromised by high risks of droughts, soil aridity, excessive heat, and reductions and/or poor distribution of rainfall. Estimations suggest that cereal and tuber production will be strongly affected by climate change5,[13],[14], while these crops play a major role in the food and nutrition security of the population of Benin. A drop in yam yields of around 33-48% % is predicted between 2040-2050, especially in the Fourth Agricultural Development Pole (PDA4[15]) and the upper Ouémé Valley17. Climate change may also induce a considerable decline in cereal yields (maize, rice, sorghum) up to 17% and 30% respectively by 2050[16] and 20805,16. Further decrease in food production is also expected from the negative effects of global warming on basic agricultural resources namely soil, water and biodiversity[17]. Increased temperatures and excessive heat waves will increase the risk of wildfires, a factor of crop destruction including cashew plantations. Declining rainfall and/or rising temperatures will negatively affect farm income[18],[19]. Estimates suggest that a 10% increase in temperatures would reduce net faPeople's access to food and other basic needs will be indirectly affected by the negative effects of climate change on economic growth, income distribution, and employment21,[1]. Benin could experience a heavy economic loss estimated between 45 and 64% of its agricultural GDP, or about 4-6% of its GDP, by 2100 due to climate change[2]. Extreme events, occurring more and more frequently, will also cause significant damage and loss by destroying crops and important assets on which the livelihood of the populations depends, and leading therefore to higher migration and displacement of people9. This constitutes a factor aggravating food insecurity and poverty, especially among women and young people who are the main actors in agricultural production, noting that women are more vulnerable to the effects of climate change than men because of their roles in society. Future climate disturbances will further negatively impact current crop management techniques/itinerary in rainfed agriculture through changes in sowing dates, more frequent and severe drought periods, shorter rainy seasons3, and the emergence of new crop diseases