The fourth conference on Climate Change and Development in Africa (CCDA-IV) focused on how the continent can feed itself, especially under a changing climate.
The conference addressed the connections between climate and agriculture, examining how climate-smart agriculture can increase resilience, how climate change will affect the livelihoods and food security of vulnerable populations, and how climate knowledge can bolster agricultural productivity.
10 October 2014: The fourth conference on Climate Change and Development in Africa (CCDA-IV) focused on how the continent can feed itself, especially under a changing climate. The conference addressed the connections between climate and agriculture, examining how climate-smart agriculture can increase resilience, how climate change will affect the livelihoods and food security of vulnerable populations, and how climate knowledge can bolster agricultural productivity.
A number of initiatives and partnerships were announced in conjunction with the conference, which was held in Marrakesh, Morocco, on 8-10 October 2014, under the theme ‘Africa Can Feed Africa Now: Translating Climate Knowledge into Action.’ The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the Africa Climate Policy Centre of the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) announced the collaboration of a group of African climate research and impact communities to create an institutional platform for informing adaptation decision making in Africa. In support of this collaboration, a US$1 million fund is being instituted under the aegis of the Climate for Development in Africa (ClimDev-Africa) Programme to train African scientists and development professionals.
On the sidelines of the conference, the African Development Bank (AfDB) announced a €33 million ClimDev-Africa Special Fund that will focus on building capacity for climate change information gathering and dissemination in the region. Private and public institutions are invited to submit proposals to “build viable, reliable and regular climate information sources.”
Throughout the event, high-level officials issued statements in support of Africa’s ability to take on future challenges. At the opening ceremony, while acknowledging the difficulties climate change presents, Fatima Denton, Director, Special Initiatives Division of UNECA, said the continent is “well-poised to use its resources towards achieving structural transformation and severing ties with poverty for good.”
Speaking with reporters, Abdalla Hamdok, Deputy Executive Secretary, UNECA, assured that Africa is prepared to receive and expend climate financing from the Green Climate Fund (GCF), pointing out that institutions such as AfDB and ClimDev-Africa are on hand to help manage GCF funds.
CCDA-IV was organized by the ClimDev-Africa Programme, which is a partnership among UNECA, the African Union Commission (AUC) and AfDB. The theme of the conference was chosen in recognition of 2014 as the African Union (AU) Year of Agriculture and Food Security. [UNECA CCDA-IV Website] [UNECA Press Release, 10 July 2014] [UNECA Press Release, 6 October 2014] [CCDA-Live Podcast] [AfDB Press Release] [UNECA Press Release, 9 October 2014, on SMART Agriculture] [UNECA Press Release, 9 October 2014, on the GCF]