On-Air for Gender-Inclusive Nature-based Climate Solutions

This project aims to provide a platform for local sub-Saharan African communities to express their adaptation needs particularly women and youth. The project supports them in implementing nature-based solutions for climate adaptation using Farm Radio International’s wide radio network and its innovative approaches to design produce and air gender-responsive interactive and local radio programs. The High Impact Radio Series partnered with 20 radio stations to produce broadcasts in Burkina Faso Côte d’Ivoire Ethiopia Ghana Uganda and Zambia. The project aims to ensure a just gender-responsive enabling environment for nature-based solutions to help local communities address their climate adaptation needs. Project activities include: (1) engaging with climate adaptation specialists in-country stakeholders women-led rights groups and relevant knowledge partners in the targeted communities to extract content priorities relevant to their expressed climate change adaptation needs; (2) designing producing and airing gender-responsive interactive High-Impact Radio Series to significantly expand access to information about nature-based solutions for climate adaptation across sub-Saharan Africa; and (3) engaging with the Canadian public to inform them about the adaptation needs of countries in sub-Saharan Africa and how nature-based solutions can be part of the solution. This project aims to reach 50 000 individuals to engage with the programs at least 1 million times and reach a combined potential audience of at least 8 million rural people over the project`s duration.. Tools and knowledge including the High Impact Radio Series will be shared with over 200 radio stations in an additional 20-25 countries in sub-Saharan Africa increasing the project`s reach to a combined estimated audience of at least 25 million people across sub-Saharan Africa. In addition the public education and engagement program aims to reach 300 000 Canadians.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) promoted and enhanced enabling environment for rural community action on climate change adaptation using locally relevant gender-inclusive nature-based solutions; (2) increased responsiveness by decision-makers to the expressed needs wisdom and experiences of rural communities particularly women and youth in adapting to climate change using gender-inclusive nature-based solutions; and (3) increased Canadian interest and engagement in Canada’s support of climate adaptation in developing countries using nature-based solutions.