Development of the Enhancing Sustainable Land Management and Climate- Resilient Agri-food Systems in Côte d'Ivoire

Background

Côte d’Ivoire’s Revised NDC prioritises the agricultural sector with several planned mitigation and adaptation measures. These include the enhancement of environmental and climate information system and access; the implementation of climate risk management systems; and the promotion of sustainable soil management techniques. Further, the country’s NDC defines measures to build rural farm communities’ capacity for climate resilience targeting young and women and promote and support climate resilient technologies for agriculture, livestock, and fisheries.

Activities

The CGIAR, Alliance for Biodiversity, and CIAT project – ’Development of the Enhancing Sustainable Land Management and Climate- Resilient Agri-food Systems in Côte d'Ivoire (LARACI)’ – is implemented alongside the GGGI, the country’s Ministry of Environment & Sustainable Development, and the Ministry of Agriculture. The project has been under implementation since 2022 (and running until 2024). The goal of the program is to initiate a paradigm shift towards climate-resilient agriculture and income generation for farming communities for improved food and nutrition security, while protecting and strengthening targeted vulnerable agro-ecological areas and ecosystem services in Côte d’Ivoire. The project will provide information and services, strengthen institutions and regulatory systems, and unlock access to finance towards adoption of climate smart agriculture technologies. Additionally, it will focus on specific adaptation measures for rice, cassava, and yam crops.

Impact

The project expects to reduce the vulnerability and increase the resilience of approximately 500,000 beneficiaries in the central regions of Nzi, Moronou, Iffou, and Mé. This represents 58.75% of the total population in these areas. These direct beneficiaries are expected to benefit from improved climate resilience, health and well-being, and food and water security. Additionally, the project will contribute to climate change mitigation. This includes reducing emissions from land use, deforestation, forest degradation, and sustainable forest management, as well as the conservation and enhancement of forest carbon stocks.