AfricaAdapt
PRESS RELEASE
Ethiopia
Embargoed until 4th May 2009
New pan-African network to share Ethiopia’s experience to help vulnerable communities reducing climate impacts
Five million Ethiopians are currently facing famine, largely caused by drought, and scientists predict that climate change will increase the frequency and intensity of these events.Ethiopian researchers are working with vulnerable communities such as small holder farmers and pastoralists in different parts of Ethiopiato help them cope with drought disasters and minimize the risks from climate change. Such experiences and research could help vulnerable communities elsewhere in Africa but they are not often shared with those who need them. AfricaAdaptis a new bilingual networkthat willaddress this problem – ensuring African knowledge on climate change adaptation is effectively gathered and shared.
Leading African organisations Environment and Development in the Third World (ENDA), Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) and IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC) have teamed with the Institute of Development Studies, UK, to create AfricaAdapt.
‘AfricaAdaptis the first pan-African network dedicated to climate change adaptation. It will overcome linguistic and geographical divides ensuring that knowledge that can help vulnerable communities adapt to the changes taking place is accessible to anybody exploring responses to climate change.’ saysMr.Abebe Tadege from IGAD Climate Prediction and Application Center (ICPAC). ‘Our interactive website, our events, specialised radio broadcasts and support for innovation will facilitate the sharingof knowledge on how to reduce climate impacts from Ethiopia with other researchers and vulnerable communities across the continent.’
AfricaAdapt is free to access and open to any individualsand organisations working on climate change adaptation in Africa. The website will be a platform connecting users according to their areas of interest and their activities. They can sign up to updates on projects, themes, and events and receive them through email, newsletters or automatic newsfeeds.
Face-to-face forums, and local radio programmes will be used to reach out to local communities and ensure that their own knowledge and experiences are shared with others working to address climate change impacts in Africa.
‘We believe African media have a key role to play in facilitating the sharing of knowledge with our communities. This is why we will work with community-based radios and seek opportunities to collaborate with journalists across the region,’continues Mr. Abebe Tadege.
AfricaAdapt is funded through the UK Government Department for International Development (DFID) and the Canadian International Development Research Centre (IDRC).
Notes to editor:
For interviews please contact:
Mr. Abebe Tadege, ICPAC, Tel: + 254 (0) 716223871 Email:
For a press pack please contact
Press Pack contents:
- AfricaAdapt launch press releases –International (French/English) and for African countries including Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Morocco, Tanzania, Senegal, South Africa and Uganda(French/English as appropriate)
- Africa Adapt videos (French/English) for Windows and Mac
- AfricaAdapt introductory leaflet(French/English)
Watch AfricaAdapt introductory videos
English version:
French version:
OnAfricaAdapt
AfricaAdapt is collaboratively hosted by Environment and Development in the Third World (ENDA-TM); Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA); IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC); and Institute of Development Studies (IDS). The network is funded through the UK Department for International Development (DFID) and the Canadian International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Climate Change Adaptation in Africa programme.
AfricaAdapt website goes life as a beta version on Monday 4May.