The African Development Fund has approved a $9.3 million grant to strengthen climate resilience, improve water security, and boost food production in vulnerable communities across Ethiopia and South Sudan. The Board of Directors of the Fund approved the grant, according to the African Development Bank Group.
The project will construct and rehabilitate seven solar-powered water supply systems and introduce integrated flood management measures, providing reliable access to safe drinking water for nearly 80,000 people. Additionally, the fund will support climate-smart agriculture training for more than 100,000 farmers, helping them adapt to unpredictable weather while improving food production.
About 19,300 youth will receive training in agricultural skills, entrepreneurship, and climate-resilient value chains. Communities will benefit from new sanitation facilities in schools and public institutions, improved hygiene services, and women-led local water management committees. Farmers, most of them women, will gain access to improved seeds, extension services, demonstration farms, and climate-resilient technologies.
The project also includes large-scale tree planting and watershed rehabilitation to restore degraded land and strengthen ecosystems. The multinational Climate Proof Water4Food project promotes shared technical standards, cross-border learning, and coordinated approaches to manage climate risks affecting both countries.
Article and image source: allafrica.com
