Capacity Building Workshop in Rabat, Morocco

Bridging Climate Challenges and Agricultural Opportunities: Capacity Building Workshop in Rabat, Morocco

By AAI communication Team

In a significant step toward enhancing Africa's agricultural resilience against climate change, the AAA Initiative and Africa Adaptation Initiative recently hosted a groundbreaking workshop in Rabat, Morocco. The joint workshop titled "Strengthening Capacities of African Agricultural Focal Points for Climate-Smart Projects Implementation" brought together representatives from 15 African nations to address the pressing climate challenges facing the continent's agricultural sector.

A Response to the Paris Agreement

The AAA Initiative (Initiative for the Adaptation of African Agriculture to Climate Change), launched by Morocco during COP22 in Marrakech in 2016, aims to contribute to food security across Africa, improve conditions for vulnerable farmers, and promote rural employment. The initiative specifically responds to the Paris Agreement by helping African countries implement their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) through concrete projects focused on soil management, agricultural water management, and climate risk management.

This workshop represents a continuation of the mandate given to the AAA Initiative by the African Union Heads of State in February 2020, recognizing it as a crucial coordination and financing mechanism for agricultural adaptation measures across the continent.

Turning Climate Challenges into Agricultural Opportunities

African agriculture stands at a critical crossroads, facing unprecedented climate challenges while simultaneously presenting enormous opportunities for transformation. The two-day workshop was designed to equip participants with practical knowledge and skills to develop, implement, and finance climate-smart agricultural projects that align with their countries' NDCs.

Key Workshop Achievements

The workshop, organized in partnership between the AAA Initiative Foundation, the World Bank, and FAO, provided participants with a comprehensive learning experience that allowed them to:

1. Deepen their knowledge of climate-smart agricultural principles and practices in the context of implementing Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), with a focus on agricultural sector goals.

2. Share successful experiences across the continent and identify potential synergies for future collaboration.

3. Strengthen their skills in planning and managing agricultural projects, with a particular focus on incorporating climate aspects

4. Gain valuable training on international climate financing mechanisms, including the Green Climate Fund and Public-Private Partnerships.

Day 1: Building Foundations for Climate-Smart Agriculture

The first day began with an opening speech by H.E. Ambassador Seyni Nafo, Secretary General of the Initiative AAA Foundation, setting the stage for comprehensive learning sessions. The day focused on understanding and designing climate-smart projects through five well-structured sessions:

• Introduction to Climate-Smart Agriculture: Led by Gourroum Nabila from the World Bank and Maki Abdourahman, this session covered the fundamental principles and pillars of climate-smart agriculture, complemented by successful case studies from across Africa.

• Integrating Climate-Smart Approaches: Riad Balaghi, Project Director of the Initiative AAA Foundation, guided participants through methodologies for designing integrated projects and identifying national and regional priorities.

• Climate Risk Evaluation: Meriem Alaouri from the National Meteorology Directorate led discussions on identifying climate risks in agriculture and using tools to assess climate resilience, including a practical workshop on climate vulnerability analysis.

• Monitoring and Evaluation: Emuri Nega Debala, an expert in Climate Resilience and Food Systems, presented on developing monitoring indicators and integrating participatory tools, culminating in a workshop on logical framework development.

• National Experiences Panel: Moderated by Loubna Chamim, Advocacy Director of the Initiative AAA Foundation, this session featured representatives sharing their national initiatives, fostering discussions on lessons learned and best practices.

Day 2: From Planning to Implementation

The second day shifted focus to the critical aspects of financing and implementing climate-smart projects. Key sessions included:

• Accessing International Climate Finance: Sandra Freitas from the African Adaptation Initiative provided insights into major funding mechanisms like the Green Climate Fund and Global Environment Facility, offering step-by-step guidance on preparing successful funding applications.

• Morocco's Success in Mobilizing Climate Funds: Meryem Andaloussi from the Agency for Agricultural Development shared Morocco's experience with both the Adaptation Fund and Green Climate Fund accreditation processes, offering valuable insights into effectively designing, submitting, and monitoring climate-funded projects.

• The 1 Million Hectares Conservation Agriculture Initiative: Rachid Moussadek, an expert in Sustainable Agricultural Land Management, presented this climate-smart initiative, focusing on monitoring indicators and the integration of digital tools for evaluation.

Recognition of Participants

In recognition of their active participation and engagement, workshop attendees were awarded training certificates by Ms. Ghita El Ghorfi, Director General of the AAA Initiative Foundation. This formal recognition underscores the importance of the knowledge and skills gained during the workshop for advancing climate-smart agriculture across Africa.

Pan-African Participation

The workshop saw robust participation from 15 African countries: Kenya, Central African Republic, Congo, Guinea-Bissau, Burundi, Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, Togo, Mali, Cameroon, Benin, Niger, Madagascar, Cape Verde, and host country Morocco. This diverse representation ensured a rich exchange of experiences and perspectives from across the continent.

Building on Climate-Smart Agriculture Investment Plans

The workshop built upon the AAA Initiative's previous work developing seven Climate-Smart Agriculture Investment Plans (CSAIPs) for Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, Morocco, Ghana, Cameroon, Burkina Faso, and the Republic of Congo by the end of 2020. These CSAIPs serve as strategic planning documents proposing agricultural development projects with high potential for climate resilience and adaptation while contributing to sustainable development.

Looking Ahead

As climate change continues to threaten agricultural productivity across Africa, initiatives like this workshop play a crucial role in building capacity and fostering collaboration. By providing agricultural focal points with the knowledge and tools to implement climate-smart projects, the AAA Initiative and Africa Adaptation Initiative are helping to pave the way for a more resilient and sustainable agricultural future for the continent.

This workshop exemplifies how strategic partnerships and knowledge-sharing can transform climate challenges into opportunities for agricultural innovation and development across Africa, ultimately supporting the continent's food security goals while promoting climate adaptation and resilience.

The AAA Initiative Foundation extends its sincere gratitude to all participants for their commitment and to its partners for their continued support in building a more sustainable future for the African continent.