Strengthening Resilience of Women to Climate Change in Chad

This project aims to increase the adaptation of young rural women and their communities to climate change in the Guéra province of Chad. The project also contributes to strengthening the skills and effectiveness of groups and cooperatives in developing climate-smart food systems with and for young women groundnut and sesame producers. Project activities include: (1) training women in peanut and sesame production in soil restoration and conservation techniques adapted to water stress and based on improved local knowledge; (2 ) implementing community reforestation and restoration campaigns for strategic aquatic and wetland ecosystems. This is for adaptation to climate change based on nature-based solutions that meet the needs of young women groundnut and sesame producers and their communities; (3) supporting groups and cooperatives in developing high-value marketing channels for young women producers; and (4) setting up pilot leadership laboratories supporting innovative and non-traditional social economic and environmental initiatives of young rural women in the field of Climate Change Adaptation. The direct beneficiaries of the project are 5 000 people mainly women peanut and sesame farmers and their communities including 3 500 women and young women and 1 500 men and young men. Indirect beneficiaries are estimated at more than 45 000 family members of the direct project beneficiaries.

The expected outcomes of this project include: (1) Increased capacity of young rural women producers to adopt climate change adaptation solutions that are biodiversity-sustaining and gender-sensitive; (2) Increased effectiveness of women’s groups and cooperatives in developing climate-smart food systems; and (3 )Increased influence of young rural women in governance of climate change and natural resource management. Direct beneficiaries are 5000 young rural women mainly peanut and sesame producers and community members as well as 30 producer groups and cooperatives.