New fund for innovative knowledge sharing launched by AfricaAdapt

June 15th. The AfricaAdapt network, which is funded by the joint UK Department for International Development (DFID)/International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Climate Change Adaptation in Africa Programme , is launching its new Knowledge Sharing Innovation Fund promoting new ways of sharing knowledge that can help address this problem.

The Knowledge Sharing Innovation Fund will offer grants of up to US$10.000 to projects that seek to overcome barriers to share knowledge with ’hard to reach’ or marginalised African communities. These barriers may be related to language, access to information and marginalisation due to gender or disability. Theatre performances, songs, radio broadcasts, visual arts, videos and comics are just a few ideas about how they could be overcome. The key is to ensure these groups can learn and share.

Ensuring that vulnerable communities are active in the exchange of African knowledge, best practices and know-how on climate change adaptation is a high priority for AfricaAdapt. These communities are the most directly threatened by climactic impacts, however they also have a wealth of experience in adapting to past changes that could benefit other communities.
African researchers, local and civil society organisations, cooperatives and community networks are encouraged to submit their ideas. The First round of submissions open from 1 July to 1 August 2009. Shortlisted applicants will be notified by 15 October.

Knowledge sharing network on climate change adaptation in Africa

Dr. Tom Mitchell (centre) of IDS

The Core Group (CG) of organisations, charged with developing a knowledge sharing network on climate change adaptation in Africa, met in Tunis between the 1st – 4th July 2008.

The meeting was hosted by the Observatoire du Sahara et du Sahel (OSS), whose representatives joined the CG members (ICPAC, FARA, ENDA and IDS) in deciding on the governance of the CG, a series of strategies for developing the Network, a communications protocol and a work plan.

The meeting was also attended by Dr. Innocent Butare on behalf of IDRC, the donor to this project. The project is governed by a Core Group (CG) of organisations. In July 2008, this includes FARA, ENDA-TM, ICPAC and IDS, with IDS assuming project management responsibilities. See meeting agenda

Relelated:
Wageningen International is also involved in some activities about climate change adaptation in Africa. In partnership with ASARECA and IUCN a scoping workshop was held in Nairobi in mid June. See: scoping workshop

World Bank's Climate Change Consultation. The global consultations website is featured on the homepage of the World Bank's website, and is also directly accessible. The deadline for submitting comments was July 7, 2008.

World Bank 05/06 Climate Change: Likely Impacts on African Crops, Livestock & Farm Types