Climate Change Adaptation

GFA responds to the need for crosssectoral approaches within the field of adaptation to climate change impacts through integrating a climate change focus within the following GFA strategic business areas:

• Agriculture & Rural Development
• Natural Resources Management
• Financial Systems Development
• Health, Water & Sanitation

GFA can draw on more than 20 years experience in farming systems analysis and improvement in more than 150 countries including arid and semi-arid ecozones. Services provided by GFA comprise: planning and management of irrigation systems, measures to combat desertification, sustainable land use models, food security, introduction of soil and water conservation techniques. In the greater Mekong Sub-region, GFA provides expertise in the fi eld of land management and land use planning based on flood risk mapping within the supra-national Flood Management Programme.

The combined approach of ecosystem stabilisation and livelihood improvement is central to all natural resources management projects implemented by GFA. Community based forest and watershed management is among our core expertise in this field. Specific financial products are required to reduce vulnerability of the poor to environmental changes. GFA aims to increase outreach to financial services to low-income people and to develop financially self-sustainable institutions through the development of innovative products comprising micro credits, SME finance, rural fi nance as well as banking advisory services.

In the field of Health, Water & Sanitation, GFA provides advisory services to the construction and development of health care systems. In the Lower Usuthu River Basin in Swasiland, GFA helps to adjust the local health care system to the needs of the very fast growing population. The region faces strong migration movements due to continuous droughts in other parts of the country.