AfDF Grants $9.48M to Boost Climate Resilience in Sahel Wetland Ecosystems

The project is financed through the Climate Action Window, the AfDF’s dedicated mechanism for supporting climate adaptation in low-income African countries.

The Board of Directors of the African Development Fund (AfDF) has approved a $9.48 million grant to launch the Community and Ecosystem Resilience and Adaptation in the Wetlands of the Sahel Catchment Basins Project — a major regional climate resilience initiative targeting some of the most fragile ecosystems in West Africa. The project is financed through the Climate Action Window, the AfDF’s dedicated mechanism for supporting climate adaptation in low-income African countries.

The new investment will strengthen ecological protection, boost climate resilience, and support communities across Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Senegal, all of which rely heavily on the Sahel’s wetland ecosystems for agriculture, livestock, fishing, and livelihoods. These wetlands — vital sources of water, biodiversity, and food security — face mounting pressures from climate change, population growth, overuse of natural resources, and decades of inadequate environmental governance.

Wetlands Under Threat: A Regional Crisis

The Sahel’s river catchments, including the Volta, Niger, and Senegal basins, have experienced accelerated degradation driven by drought, erratic rainfall, loss of vegetation cover, and unsustainable exploitation practices. Agro-sylvo-pastoral systems — the integrated use of land for agriculture, forestry, and pasture — have become more vulnerable as communities struggle with declining soil fertility, water scarcity, and weakened natural resources.

Fisheries, a key livelihood in many Sahelian wetlands, are also threatened by shrinking water bodies, rising temperatures, and habitat destruction. Without urgent intervention, the region faces heightened food insecurity, declining ecosystem services, and increased competition for dwindling resources.

Four Integrated Components to Build Ecosystem and Community Resilience

The new AfDF grant will support a four-component approach that combines scientific research, community empowerment, local governance, and climate monitoring systems.

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1. Strengthening Ecosystem Conservation and Understanding Climate Vulnerability

The first project component focuses on improving the conservation and sustainable management of fragile Sahelian ecosystems. This includes:

• Conducting a comprehensive vulnerability assessment of eight wetland sites

• Engaging local communities, traditional authorities, and conservation groups

• Identifying priority green economy opportunities

• Supporting women’s and youth groups in nature-based livelihoods

These studies will guide targeted interventions, such as reforestation, soil restoration, water management, and sustainable income-generating activities.

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2. Promoting Sustainable Water Management, Agroforestry, and Fisheries

The second component aims to improve how water resources are used and governed, while strengthening climate-resilient agricultural and fishing practices. Activities include:

• Developing community-managed irrigation schemes

• Expanding agroforestry systems to restore degraded lands

• Supporting sustainable fisheries management in vulnerable wetland communities

• Strengthening village-level governance structures to ensure equitable resource use

This component empowers communities to manage ecosystems more effectively and increase their resilience to climate shocks.

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3. Building Regional Climate Services and Early Warning Systems

The third component supports the Climate Commission for the Sahel Region (CCRS) in building robust climate services and emergency response capabilities. The work will include:

• Developing localized early warning systems for floods, droughts, and storms

• Strengthening climate data collection and analysis

• Training local institutions on risk management and climate adaptation

• Enhancing regional coordination across the Sahel

Improved early warning systems will help communities prepare for climate hazards, reducing loss of life, livestock, and crops.

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4. Ensuring Strong Governance, Coordination, and Knowledge Sharing

The fourth component establishes a regional Project Management Unit (PMU) under the CCRS to ensure:

• Effective implementation and project supervision

• Transparent financial and administrative management

• Regular meetings of regional and national steering committees

• Performance monitoring, evaluation, and reporting

• Exchanges of best practices across the four countries

This governance framework will ensure accountability, efficient delivery, and long-term sustainability of project outcomes.

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Country-Specific Interventions Across the Sahel

The initiative targets ecologically important and climate-sensitive wetlands in all four participating countries:

Burkina Faso

• Oubri and Kuilsé regions

• Interventions focus on the Volta and Niger cross-border basins

Mali

• Bougouni (Yanfolila) region

• Activities include restoration of six protected areas, including classified forests, wildlife reserves, and wetlands

Niger

• Two Ramsar-designated wetlands:

  • Dallol Bosso

  • Mare de Tabalak

• Both sites form part of the Niger River basin and are essential for biodiversity and pastoralism

Senegal

• Senegal River Biosphere Reserve

• Work concentrated in the Saint-Louis and Dagana departments

These areas host tens of thousands of households whose livelihoods directly depend on agriculture, livestock, fishing, and seasonal wetland resources.

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Strengthening Community Resilience Across the Sahel

The Sahel remains one of the regions most vulnerable to climate change, with increasing drought frequency, land degradation, and unpredictable rainfall patterns undermining economic stability and food production. Wetlands — the backbone of water security in the region — are central to sustaining life and biodiversity.

This new AfDF-funded project represents a strategic investment in climate adaptation, ecological protection, and rural resilience. By empowering communities and strengthening ecosystems, the project aims to:

• Improve food security

• Restore degraded landscapes

• Protect biodiversity

• Support sustainable livelihoods for women and youth

• Reduce vulnerability to climate hazards

• Enhance regional environmental governance

The initiative also reinforces the African Development Bank Group’s broader climate agenda through the Climate Action Window, which mobilizes resources for adaptation, resilience, and nature-based solutions in Africa’s most climate-exposed regions.