By Tabora Bojang
A new $10.1 million project from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and UN Development Programme in partnership with the Gambia government is set to identify and integrate the Gambia’s climate adaptation measures for the agricultural sectors into relevant national planning and budgeting processes.
The joint FAO-UNDP project integrating Agriculture in National Adaptation Plans (NAP-Ag) programme was launched on Tuesday at the Kairaba aimed at accelerating the mainstreaming of climate change adaptation into development planning.
The programme is intended to help and enhance vulnerable countries adaptation planning efforts to climate change to achieve four sets of outcomes which includes technical capacities and institutions on national adaptation plans, developing integrated road maps and improve evidence based results for Naps.
The minister of agriculture Omar A Jallow commented at the launch, saying the successful implementation of the project will go a long way in placing the Gambia on a sound footing by thoroughly and holistically including matters affecting agriculture national framework for appropriate planning and budgeting within the NDP.
He said climate change impacts seriously hamper on agriculture including fisheries, aqua culture and forestry adding that despite the gains made by developing countries like the Gambia in addressing climate change, there still remains substantial knowledge gaps on the implications of climate change.
According OJ, integrating agriculture-based livelihood adaptation concerns into medium to long term development planning requires an effective institutional frame work that promotes sectoral, national and sub-national coordination since the Gambia like any other beneficiary country will develop its own roadmap for incorporating economically viable adaptation options for the agric sector.
Under the project he said; “ICI resources will develop and in introduce an impact monitoring framework for the agricultural sector that will generate evidence based results of adoption measures”
The FAO representative in the Gambia madam Perpetua Katepa-Kalala observed that “while most African countries have the smallest contribution to the emission of greenhouse gases, they are among the most vulnerable and therefore are seriously threatened by climate change especially the agriculture sector.”
According to madam Kalala, the support will also include gender analysis and mainstreaming to ensure the impact of climate change on women and youth is reflected in climate change adaptation plans.
Adding that “since the programme will help unpack the national adaptation plan processes, it would require strong political commitment and consultations among relevant stakeholders including development partners, research organisations, private and farming communities for the success adaptation planning.”
