Climate Change: Morocco Hosts 2nd Ministerial Conference on AAA Initiative

The Moroccan city of Benguerir (near Marrakech) is hosting this Nov.4-5 the 2nd annual ministerial conference of the Initiative for the Adaptation of African Agriculture to climate change (AAA Initiative).

The event, organized under the theme: “Food Security Facing Climate Change”, brings together representatives of key financial institutions, donors, the private sector and scientific researchers to discuss ways of adapting African agriculture to climate change.

The conference aims to support sustained efforts to ensure food security in Africa against a backdrop of accelerating climate change by mobilizing international financial resources.

Participants will look into ways to mobilize the necessary funds for the identification and implementation of agricultural projects in Africa.

Launched by Morocco during the COP22 held in Marrakesh in 2016, the AAA Initiative seeks to contribute to food security in Africa, to improve the living conditions of vulnerable farmers and to promote the employment in rural areas by promoting adaptation practices to climate change, building the capacity of actors and channeling financial flows to the most vulnerable farmers.

The initiative also seeks to restore African ecosystem balance and enable countries of the continent to have access to climate funds.

This initiative focuses on strengthening the financing capacities of African farmers, via the micro-credit generalization to small farmers, meso-credit development to medium-sized farms and mobile banking solutions deployment.

It is characterized by its pragmatic approach based on the design, implementation and monitoring of bankable projects with accountability for results and impacts on African countries populations.

It is designed to help link climate financing with food security through priority projects, allowing for better appreciation of Africa’s natural resources in a sustainable manner.

The AAA Initiative promotes the implementation of tangible projects on soil management, agricultural water management, and climate risk management. It is based on the instruments advocated by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change: transfer of technology, preparation of appropriate agricultural policies and strategies, establishment of “bankable” projects meeting the criteria of development partners and donors and promoting South-South cooperation.

The AAA Initiative also contributes to meeting the broader challenges of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals set by the UN Member States.