Small communities are often the most severely affected, yet the least equipped to cope with the impacts of climate change. In recognition of this, the UNDP Community-Based Adaptation (CBA) project pilots the community component of the GEF Strategic Priority on Adaptation, building the resilience of communities and the ecosystems upon which they rely in the face of climate change impacts. Read more...
Latest News
CBA contributes to UNFCCC COP17 in Durban
November 2011
At the UNFCCC COP 17 in Durban, South Africa held on November-December 2011,the CBA Project shared collaboration and advocacy strategies on Gender and Community-Based Adaptation to Climate Change. The UNDP CBA Project Team partners with the UNDP Gender Team to mainstream gender in CBA small grant projects. The partnership initiatives include: 1.) Developing knowlege products for policymakers and development practitioners; 2.) Raising awareness of the importance of integrating gender and CBA through presentations at global CBA meetings; 3.) Building the capacities of project staff in the field including the SGP National Coordinators and UNVs on gender, climate change and CBA through annual trainings; 4.) Identifying gender-specific vulnerabilities in the formulation of CBA projects and integrating gender-inclusive adaptation practices into implementation of CBA projects with regular monitoring and evaluation and 5.) Collecting gender-disaggregated data on climate change impacts and CBA project outcomes.
CBA featured in UNDP's Climate Change Adaptation Bulletin
October 2011
UNDP's Work in Communities, Livelihoods and Markets is featured in the October issue of UNDP's Climate Change Adaptation Bulletin ( a Quarterly Update of Activities). Also highlighted are success stories from CBA projects in Jamaica, Kazazahstan and Namibia.
CBA "How-To" Ensure Inclusivity
September 2011
UNDP CBA shares the first publication of the "How-To" series: "How-To" Ensure Inclusivity. This resource guide explains how and why CBA projects must reach and include women, youth, elderly, religious and ethnic minorities, people with disability or living with HIV, and any other discriminated people. These groups are disproportionally vulnerable to climate change, but are valuable contributors and act as a primary resource to find pertinent, just and sustainable solutions. They help reduce vulnerability and improve the adaptive capacity of the whole community.
CBA contributes to CARE International's Gender & Community-Based Adaptation Learning Workshop
August 2011
CARE International organized a workshop under their Adaptation Learning Programme in Africa (ALP) framework. The event was held on 22-25 August 2011 in Bolgatanga, Ghana. 45 participants from Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique and Niger shared knowledge and discussed experiences in gender-sensitive repsonses to climate change. UNDP/GEF CBA was represented by UN Volunteers project partners from Morocco and Niger to share their field experience in gender mainstreaming and inclusion in the UNDP/GEF CBA projects, as well as learn from ALP colleagues’ experiences. ALP is a five-year programme implemented in four Africa countiries: Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique and Niger. It's goal is to empower the most vulnerable people in sub-Saharan Africa to adapt to climate change impacts and variability. ALP is developing innovative and gender-integrated aproaches to CBA where gender mainstreaming and women’s empowerment are increasingly recognized as essential. Read more.
CBA Jamaica: Reducing erosion and landslides with sustainable agriculture
August 2011
In recent years, the cash cropped-based communities of Woodford and Cascade have experienced increased soil erosion and landslides from climate change-associated longer drought periods, higher temperatures,and high intensity rains that force local farmers to seek new farmland further up the mountain sides. In a continual cycle of land degradation, farmers clear forest land for agriculture when landslides and soil erosion render previous fields unusable only to put the new fields at increased the risk for future erosion by clearing the protective ground cover. The Jamaica Conservations and Development Trust (JDCT) implemented a project that helped break the vicious cycle of degradation and land encroachment on the nearby Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park. Using sustainable agricultural techniques such as soil conservation, organic farming, and greenhouse farming,farmers are successfully increasing the quality and quantity of their crops. The project has increased economic opportunities for local farmers and has reduced their susceptibility to climate change impacts. Read More
CBA Kazakhstan: Improved water management systems increase crop production in the North
July 2011
Increased aridity in Northern Kazakhstan threatens precious water resources and makes it increasingly difficult for farmers to follow traditional farming practices and calendars. To overcome climatic impacts, drip irrigation systems were installed in Arnasay village to encourage effective water management in rural communities. Approximately 7,000 hectares of land have been irrigated in the CBA project titled “Adaptation of farmers’ agricultural practices in response to intensified climate aridity in Akmola Oblast.” Crop yield has doubled on the land using drip irrigation and at the same time water consumption is cut in half. The introduction of drought-resistant crops of winter wheat also prevents crop vulnerability and reduces the risk for soil erosion. Read More
CBA Kazakhstan: Increased fodder production leads to improved cattle breeding
July 2011
The Southern village of Sadu Shakrov heavily relies on the cattle breeding and subsistence agriculture for their livelihoods. However, during the last 10 years, reduced rainfall, increased temperatures, prolonged droughts, and intense hot winds have posed a serious barrier to development of animal husbandry in the region. Declining water levels from the Talas River prevent the proper irrigation of agricultural plots and reduce the amount of viable pastures for cattle grazing.
In the first year of the CBA project, “Autumn/winter irrigation as an adaptive mechanism for efficient use of water resources in Sadu Shakirov” community members are already seeing results. The restoration of an irrigation canal and water-distributing gateways help the community save water from autumn to early spring seasons to assist in crop production. So far, 30 tons of alfalfa hay and 30 tons of hay have been gathered from the irrigated lands, which is a 20-30% increase from previous years. The hay harvest is able to provide forage for 500 heads of cattle for two (2) months and has increased cattle weight. The improved livelihood has also allowed the communities to generate income and in the first year of the project they earned 1400 USD. Read More
UNDP CBA shares experiences at the Fifth Annual International Conference on Community-Based Adaptation (CBA) to Climate Change
March 2011
From 28-31 March 2011, over 300 participants attended the Fifth Annual International Conference on Community-Based Adaptation to Climate Change (CBA5) in Dhaka, Bangladesh. CBA Project Coordinator, Charles Nyandiga and CBA Senior Technical Advisor, Fumiko Fukuoka represented UNDP and shared their experiences during a plenary session regarding "Funding and Funding Architecture to Support Up-Scaling." The presentation, titled "Mobilizing & Promoting Communities' Contributions to Adaptation to Scale Up Pilot CBA Projects," highlighted community ownership, volunteerism and inclusive participation as key success factors to UNDP/GEF CBA projects.
Namibian President praises a UNDP/GEF Community-Based Adaptation (CBA) Project that helps the Siya Self-Help Group, and contributes to resources
February 2011
In Kavango, Namibia, on 5 February 2011, His Excellency Hifikepunye Pohamba, President of the Republic of Namibia, paid a two-hour visit to the Siya Community Based Adaptation (CBA) Self Help Group. This CBA project, like other programmes in nine other pilot countries around the world, is a five-year United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) global initiative funded by the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) Strategic Priority on Adaptation (SPA) and supported by UNV and GEF Small Grant Programme (SGP). The Siya group is among more than ten (10) CBA-funded groups in Namibia.
During the visit, various government officials explained conservation tillage to President Pohamba. Members of the Siya group spoke about the adaptive conservation agriculture and micro drip-irrigation activities they are engaged in, including their use of diversification of crops, and the resulting increased food security, sales of surplus and savings.
President Pohamba praised the group members for their activities and results and said they are heading one of the most promising agriculture/adaptation projects in the country. He extended his wishes for them to carry on their hard work and encouraged them to expand it and continue to inspire others to take up similar activities. President Pohamba donated N$5,000 (approx US$725) for the Siya group to finance weeding services. Up to now, the group has been hand-weeding 11.5 hectares of land. Read more.
Harnessing multiple coping strategies for a holistic approach towards community adaptation to climate change: the use of Conservation Agriculture (CA) in Namibia
February 2011
This case study discusses a new but field-proven technology for supporting communities and women groups interested in dryland’s management agriculture. It will elaborate in simple language how to rally communities towards conservation agriculture and the use of more resilient crops in drylands ecosystems. It borrows the practices of the CBA activities of CES and the Namibian Conservation research Centre’s findings on CA.
Please also visit our Knowledge Management page. This is featured under "case studies".
CBA Jamaica: Five communities in Jamaica are on the way to making sure that they can deal with the anticipated impacts of climate change such as stronger hurricanes, flooding and drought.
January 2011
This is being done as a part of a community based climate change adaptation initiative being implemented by the United Nations Development Programme/Global Environment Facility (UNDP/GEF).
"Since its launch in Jamaica, the programme has met with resounding success in helping communities to cope with climate change impacts as reported to us by our partners," said Hyacinth Douglas, National Coordinator of the GEF Small Grants Programme. "In Glengoffe, after Tropical Storm Nicole, persons in the project said that even though they suffered minor losses and soil erosion, the project areas did not lose as much as before. This, they think is due to the measures being implemented under the project." Read more.
CBA Samoa: UNDP assists the Salei'a community in gearing up for inclusive and accountable successes
January 2011
In the run-up to the New Year, the villagers of Salei'a, had more than the festive season to celebrate. With the support of the team from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)/Global Environment Fund (GEF) Community-Based Adaptation (CBA) project, women and men, young and old from the village gathered to celebrate and gear up their collective actions and responsibility for their own development while increasing their resiliency to the impacts of climate change. Read more.
As the Millennium Declaration set year 2015 as the target for achieving the Millennium Development Goals, the world needs the ingenuity, solidarity and creativity of many millions of ordinary people through voluntary action.
In the lead-up to International Volunteer Day (5 December), CBA Jamaica, CBA Morocco, CBA Namibia, and CBA Samoa join the UN Volunteers as they cross the globe online. Starting on Saturday, December 4, 2010 at 14:00 GMT +12, the online film festival, stop in 12 time zones, to see how voluntary action is challenging the world's big issues related to environment, hunger, education, maternal health, gender equality, and HIV/AIDs. These stories don't make the news, but they are changing the world. During the 24 hours that our journey will take we invite you to be inspired, share your story, and connect with others interested in ending poverty.
In CBA Samoa, 100 Volunteers joined hands in coastal clean-up and mangrove planting in Samoa. Read more.
Please also see the videos from CBA Namibia, CBA Jamaica, CBA Morocco, and CBA Samoa.
CBA videos featured at COP16 Film Festival
December 2010
Two (2) participatory videos from the UNDP/GEF CBA project were selected to be showcased at the Annual Climate Change Conference in Cancun, Mexico. The Tarwi video from CBA Bolivia and the Tiwizi video from CBA Morocco will be featured among the five (5) videos selected for the Indigenous and Local responses session of the Development & Climate (D&C) Days eventon December 4, 2010. The film festival will screen short films from around the world on climate change and development, and various themes from December 4-5, 2010.
TARWI: The Seeds of the Future
A Participatory Video from a UNDP-GEF CBA project in Bolivia
October 2010
The video features four communities from the Municipality of Carabuco in La Paz, Bolivia: Huajasiya, Cavinchilla, Tilacoca and Cojatapampa in sharing their climate change-driven problems and how the recovery of a local seed, Tarwi, has helped them fight food insecurity and loss of agricultural-based income. With the support from UNDP-GEF CBA and its partners on the ground, including Cuna Association (NGO), UNDP country office, GEF Small Grants Programme and UN Volunteers, the communities' knowledge and adaptive capacity has increased on soil management, rational and efficient use of natural resources, and on the recovery, appreciation, and beneficial use of the local seed as an important source to reach food security and increase the household income.
Testimonials from the local community members and NGO partners of the UNDP/GEF CBA projects in Bolivia, Morocco, Namibia, and Samoa were featured at the High-Level Event of the MDG Summit, held at the Museum of Natural History in New York. UNDP/GEF CBA bring people together into taking action and responsibility for their own development while increasing their resiliency to climate change impacts. UNDP/GEF CBA's efforts to strengthen community engagement and build the local people's adaptive capacity to climate change are supported by our UN Volunteer and Small Grants Programme (SGP) partners in the field. The project develops videos (among other knowledge products) to ensure grassroots adaptive actions are seen and local voices are heard.
Bountiful harvest can lead to ripple effect.
09 September 2010
As global climate change impacts become more eminent, one of the worst affected areas is Namibia. Attributed to the dry climate and poor soils, the yields for Namibia's small scale farmers are arguably the lowest in the world. But there is hope. UNDP/GEF CBA is working towards increasing the resilience of the communities to the effects of climate change. This CBA project is led by UNDP and funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Strategic Priority on Adaptation (SPA) like other programmes in nine other countries around the world. Read more.
Gender, Climate Change, and Community-Based Adaptation: A Guidebook for Designing and Impelementing Gender-Sensitive Community-Based Adaptation Programmes and Projects
01 September 2010
A publication as a result of the on-going collaboration between UNDP-GEF CBA and UNDP Gender Team. It aims to ensure that forthcoming CBA projects contribute to the achievement of gender equality and women's empowerment by integrating a gendered perspective into CBA programming and project design. Read more.
Toolkit to support all those involved in the design of measurable, verifiable, and reportable adaptation initiatives.
TIWIZI: Community unites for Adaptation to Climate Change
A Participatory video of a UNDP-GEF CBA project in Morocco
August 2010
The video was produced by the community of Iguiouaz Oasis to allow members of the community to contribute their knowledge and skills, as well as share ideas, during discussion workshop about Climate Change and Adaptation.
Tiwizi - Community unites for Adaptation to Climate Change
(To enlarge the video, please click on the 4 arrows on the bottom right-hand side).
UNDP speaks on CBA at the Fourth International Conference on Community-Based Adaptation to Climate Change
27 February 2010
Held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on 21 - 27 February 2010. Featured speakers include Delfin Ganapin, GEF Small Grants Programme (SGP) Global Manager, and Charles Nyandiga, the UNDP-GEF CBA Project Coordinator Read more.
A post conference video and photos on the Fourth International Conference on Community-Based Adaptation to Climate Change are also available Read more.
Participatory video documenting climate change threats and CBA projects in eight coastal communities in Samoa.
In recent years, the cash cropped-based communities of Woodford and Cascade have experienced increased soil erosion and landslides from climate change-associated longer drought periods, higher temperatures,and high intensity rains that force local farmers to seek new farmland further up the mountain sides. In a continual cycle of land degradation, farmers clear forest land for agriculture when landslides and soil erosion render previous fields unusable only to put the new fields at increased the risk for future erosion by clearing the protective ground cover. The Jamaica Conservations and Development Trust (JDCT) implemented a project that helped break the vicious cycle of degradation and land encroachment on the nearby Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park. Using sustainable agricultural techniques such as soil conservation, organic farming, and greenhouse farming,farmers are successfully increasing the quality and quantity of their crops. The project has increased economic opportunities for local farmers and has reduced their susceptibility to climate change impacts. 
Increased aridity in Northern Kazakhstan threatens precious water resources and makes it increasingly difficult for farmers to follow traditional farming practices and calendars. To overcome climatic impacts, drip irrigation systems were installed in Arnasay village to encourage effective water management in rural communities. Approximately 7,000 hectares of land have been irrigated in the CBA project titled “Adaptation of farmers’ agricultural practices in response to intensified climate aridity in Akmola Oblast.” Crop yield has doubled on the land using drip irrigation and at the same time water consumption is cut in half. The introduction of drought-resistant crops of winter wheat also prevents crop vulnerability and reduces the risk for soil erosion. 
The Southern village of Sadu Shakrov heavily relies on the cattle breeding and subsistence agriculture for their livelihoods. However, during the last 10 years, reduced rainfall, increased temperatures, prolonged droughts, and intense hot winds have posed a serious barrier to development of animal husbandry in the region. Declining water levels from the Talas River prevent the proper irrigation of agricultural plots and reduce the amount of viable pastures for cattle grazing. 
From 28-31 March 2011, over 300 participants attended the Fifth Annual International Conference on Community-Based Adaptation to Climate Change (CBA5) in Dhaka, Bangladesh. CBA Project Coordinator, Charles Nyandiga and CBA Senior Technical Advisor, Fumiko Fukuoka represented UNDP and shared their experiences during a plenary session regarding "Funding and Funding Architecture to Support Up-Scaling." The presentation, titled "Mobilizing & Promoting Communities' Contributions to Adaptation to Scale Up Pilot CBA Projects," highlighted community ownership, volunteerism and inclusive participation as key success factors to UNDP/GEF CBA projects. 
.jpg)
A Toolkit for Designing Climate Change Adaptation Initiatives
