Senegal launches Africa Integrated Climate Risk Management Programme to support farmers

Among the key partners supporting this initiative are the Green Climate Fund, the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Risk Capacity (ARC) Group, and the World Food Programme (WFP).

In a collaborative effort aimed at fortifying smallholder farmers against the adversities of climate change, the Government of Senegal, in conjunction with various international organizations including the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), inaugurated the Africa Integrated Climate Risk Management Programme (AICRM) today. This initiative targets to enhance the resilience of small-scale farmers in seven Sahelian countries engaged in the Great Green Wall initiative: Burkina Faso, Chad, Gambia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, and Senegal.

Among the key partners supporting this initiative are the Green Climate Fund, the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Risk Capacity (ARC) Group, and the World Food Programme (WFP). The Government of Senegal is spearheading the effort through its Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty, and Livestock.

In Senegal specifically, the program aims to bolster the resilience and livelihoods of 169,200 households across nine regions of the country. The total cost of the AICRM-Senegal amounts to USD 19.77 million, with approximately 60 percent funded through a grant from the Green Climate Fund, and the remainder financed by IFAD, AfDB, ARC, and the Senegalese government. The program is slated for implementation over six years, spanning until 2029.

Building upon existing IFAD-funded initiatives and leveraging synergies with the ongoing Sahel Regional Programme, the AICRM-Senegal seeks to maximize impact and sustainability.

According to Ndèye Hélène Diallo, representing the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty, and Livestock (MASAE), who chaired the inaugural workshop, "The AICRM Senegal program, with its comprehensive and integrated approach to climate risk management, offers a fitting response and a proven model for addressing climate change challenges."

Matteo Marchisio, IFAD's Country Director in Senegal, reiterated IFAD's unwavering support for Senegal's agricultural sector development. "IFAD remains committed to partnering with the Republic of Senegal in advancing our mutual objective of enhancing economic prosperity and food security. I am particularly gratified to witness the launch of this project, which I believe will propel Senegal towards a more climate-resilient agricultural development benefiting all its citizens," remarked Marchisio.

The AICRM program is poised to facilitate Senegal's transition to low-emission agricultural practices by promoting sustainable forest and soil management, advocating for solar power micro-grids, and integrating solar energy into agricultural value chains. The program's implementing agencies include the AGRI-JEUNES Project Coordination Unit, WFP, ARC, and AfDB through its Africa Disaster Risks Financing Programme.

The launch workshop served as a platform to disseminate information and sensitize stakeholders at the national level, mobilize support from various parties involved in program implementation, and garner institutional and political backing from Senegal's highest authorities.    You