GCF approves $25.6 million funding for innovative climate resilience project in Sudan

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) has approved $25.6 million in new funding for an innovative climate resilience project in Sudan, designed to promote agriculture, health, and food and water security.

Led by Sudan’s Higher Council for Environment and Natural Resources with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the five-year project will provide training, deliver equipment, rehabilitate land for sustainable use, introduce new climate resilient practices, and construct infrastructure for water storage, build wells and dams. Around 1.2 million people from subsistence farming and nomadic pastoralist communities across 9 states will directly benefit from the initiative, along with additional 2.5 million people expected to be indirectly benefitted.

"Addressing the impact of climate change is a collective responsibility. We as a Government recognise this global responsibility and are committed to protecting the people of Sudan from the risks we are currently facing,” said Sudan’s Prime Minister, Dr. Abdalla Hamdok. “Left unchecked, climate change will derail our nation’s efforts to end poverty and conflict across the country.”

“With Green Climate Fund financing, and support from UNDP, the Sudanese Government is working to build resilient economies and livelihoods. This will help us minimise the impact of COVID-19, and put our people and planet first.”

The initiative comes at a time when climate threats are looming large - leading to variations in rainfall and temperatures across Sudan’s arid and semi-arid drylands, pushing lives and livelihoods in peril. Poverty is deepening with the country already in conflict, and additional challenges posed by COVID-19.

Working at national and local levels, the new project will help Sudan address significant challenges. “This project will improve health, food and water security for 3.7 million people in Sudan, safeguarding them against the worsening, life-threatening impacts of a changing climate, while building resilience and infrastructure for the vital agriculture sector”, said UNDP Resident Representative, Selva Ramachandran.

“At the same time, together we will ensure institutional and community capacity is improved, vulnerable groups like women and youth receive targeted support, and Sudan’s natural resources are protected.”

Professor Rashid Hassan, Secretary General of the Higher Council for Environment and Natural Resources, said: “We are proud to launch this project, supporting the Sustainable Development Goals and Sudan’s Nationally Determined Contribution to the Paris Agreement. Importantly, it is a country and community-led initiative: the people and areas receiving support, and the needs being addressed, were identified after a comprehensive consultation process involving Federal and State authorities, communities, NGOs, the private sector, research institutions and relevant unions.”

The project leverages $15 million in co-finance from Sudan’s Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, and UNDP grant of $540,000. UNDP’s support for the initiative is part of its efforts to drive a new ‘Green Deal’ in Sudan, ensuring climate protection and mitigation, including the introduction of renewable energy in agriculture, health and rural communities; and reducing reliance on fossil fuels.

www.undp.org