Africa Adapt

Research News

New fund for innovative knowledge sharing launched by AfricaAdapt

Africa’s poor and vulnerable communities rarely have the opportunity to share their valuable experience and learn from others in broader or more formal exchanges of knowledge on climate change adaptation. The AfricaAdapt network, which is funded by the joint UK Department for International Development (DFID)/International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Climate Change Adaptation in Africa Programme , is launching its new Knowledge Sharing Innovation Fund promoting new ways of sharing knowledge that can help address this problem.

The Knowledge Sharing Innovation Fund will offer grants of up to US$10.000 to projects that seek to overcome barriers to share knowledge with ’hard to reach’ or marginalised African communities. These barriers may be related to language, access to information and marginalisation due to gender or disability. Theatre performances, songs, radio broadcasts, visual arts, videos and comics are just a few ideas about how they could be overcome. The key is to ensure these groups can learn and share.

Ensuring that vulnerable communities are active in the exchange of African knowledge, best practices and know-how on climate change adaptation is a high priority for AfricaAdapt. These communities are the most directly threatened by climactic impacts, however they also have a wealth of experience in adapting to past changes that could benefit other communities.

African researchers, local and civil society organisations, cooperatives and community networks are encouraged to submit their ideas. The First round of submissions open from 1 July to 1 August 2009. Shortlisted applicants will be notified by 15 October.

More information
The AfricaAdapt network was launched in May 2009. Its aim is to facilitate the flow of climate change adaptation knowledge for sustainable livelihoods between researchers, policy makers, civil society organisations and communities who are vulnerable to climate variability and change across the continent. The network is led by the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) at the University of Sussex, the Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA), Environment and Development in the Third World (ENDA-TM) and the IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre. It is funded by the joint UK Department for International Development (DFID)/International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Climate Change Adaptation in Africa Programme. Click here to view an introductory video for the AfricaAdapt Network.
See the project record on R4D for the Climate change adaptation in Africa research and development programme
Click here for more information on DFID's climate change work.