The Government of Senegal, in collaboration with several international organizations including the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), has officially launched the Africa Integrated Climate Risk Management Programme (AIRCM). This initiative aims to bolster the resilience of smallholder farmers against the impacts of climate change across seven Sahelian countries participating in the Great Green Wall: Burkina Faso, Chad, Gambia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, and Senegal.

Key partners in this ambitious programme include the Green Climate Fund, the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Risk Capacity (ARC) Group, and the World Food Programme (WFP). The Senegalese Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Livestock is spearheading the national efforts.

In Senegal, the AIRCM programme targets enhancing the resilience and livelihoods of 169,200 households in nine regions. With a total cost of USD 19.77 million, about 60 percent of the funding is provided by a grant from the Green Climate Fund, with the remainder financed by IFAD, AfDB, ARC, and the Government of Senegal. The programme is slated for a six-year implementation period, concluding in 2029.

Building on existing IFAD-funded initiatives and synergizing with the ongoing IFAD-supported Sahel Regional Programme, the AIRCM programme in Senegal adopts a holistic and integrated approach to climate risk management. Ndèye Hélène Diallo, representing the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Livestock, highlighted the programme’s comprehensive strategy during the kick-off workshop, stating, “The AICRM Senegal programme, with its holistic and integrated approach to climate risk management, will be both an appropriate response and a proven model for addressing climate change issues. The option taken by this programme to consolidate the achievements and existing investments of projects and programmes is to be welcomed and encouraged.”

Matteo Marchisio, IFAD’s Country Director in Senegal, reiterated IFAD’s commitment to supporting Senegal’s agricultural development. “IFAD is committed to continuing its engagement with the Republic of Senegal in support of our shared goal of improving economic prosperity and food and nutrition security. I am particularly pleased to witness the launch of this project, which I believe will help Senegal move towards agricultural development that is more resilient to the effects of climate change and that benefits all the country’s people,” he stated.

The AIRCM programme will facilitate Senegal’s shift towards low-emission agricultural practices through sustainable forest and soil management, the promotion of solar power micro-grids, and the integration of solar energy in agricultural value chains. Implementing agencies include the AGRI-JEUNES Project Coordination Unit, WFP, ARC, and the AfDB’s Africa Disaster Risks Financing Programme.

The launch workshop aimed to inform and engage national stakeholders, mobilize the various parties involved in the programme’s implementation, and secure institutional and political support from Senegal’s highest authorities.