Green Climate Fund approves WFP-led project for climate change adaptation in Tajikistan
Songdo, Republic of Korea – The Green Climate Fund (GCF) has approved a new climate change adaptation project for Tajikistan, which was developed by the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in collaboration with the government. The initiative is designed to help mountain communities to cope with the impact of climate change on their incomes and food security.
The US$10 million project is the second WFP-led project to be approved by the GCF. It will support 120,000 people in areas that have experienced an increase in floods, droughts, and landslides in recent years.
Tajikistan is one of the most climate-vulnerable countries in Central Asia. Mountains cover more than 90 percent of the country. With higher temperatures, the country’s glaciers are melting. Combined with prolonged torrential rain, this creates mudflows and flooding that wipes out roads, bridges, and farmland. First to suffer are the many low-income rural households living nearby.
The project will introduce weather and climate information services to Rasht valley, Khatlon and the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region. Once trained to interpret and utilize this information, communities will know when to plant and water their crops, will have access to long-term weather forecasting and will be better forewarned about extreme weather.
The project will also help communities to diversify the crops they grow, specifically through the introduction of tree planting and agroforestry, thereby reducing the risk of losing income to extreme weather events. Tree planting has the added benefit of stabilizing slopes during heavy rain, and preventing mudflows and landslides. Other adaptation measures such as improved water systems, greenhouses, post-harvest crop storage, and renewable energy systems will also be introduced.
The GCF is a global fund that supports developing countries in their climate mitigation and adaptation efforts. Established within the framework of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in 2010, the GCF represents the newest and largest architecture of climate finance with over US$10 billion in pledges.