climate-resilient landscapes for sustainable livelihoods ... · a.1. project / programme title...

Climate-resilient landscapes for sustainable livelihoods in northern Ghana

Ghana | United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

28 July 2017

Project/Programme Title: Climate-resilient landscapes for sustainable livelihoods in northern Ghana

Country/Region: The Republic of Ghana

Accredited Entity: UN Environment

National Designated Authority: Mr Frimpong Kwateng-Amaning, Director of the Real Sector, Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Ghana.

PROJECT / PROGRAMME CONCEPT NOTE GREEN CLIMATE FUND | PAGE 1 OF 28

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A. Project / Programme Information

A.1. Project / programme title Climate-resilient landscapes for sustainable livelihoods in northern Ghana

A.2. Project or programme Project

A.3. Country (ies) / region Republic of Ghana

A.4. National designated authority(ies)

Mr. Frimpong Kwateng-Amaning, Director of the Real Sector, Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Ghana. Email: [email protected]; [email protected]

A.5. Accredited entity

UN Environment,

Ermira Fida, UN Environement GCF Coordinator, [email protected], &

Barney Dickson, UN Environment Head of Climate Change Adaptation Unit, [email protected]

A.6. Executing entity / beneficiary

Executing Entity: Environmental Protection Agency

Other Beneficiaries:

Directorate of Crop Services –Ministry of Food and Agriculture

Forestry Commission

Regional Environmental Protection Offices

Regional Coordinating Councils

Water Resources Commission;

Ministry of Local Government;

Ministry of Land and Natural Resources;

District offices of the Department of Agriculture

District Forest Offices

Direct beneficiaries: 60,000 people

Indirect beneficiaries: 1,000,000 people

A.7. Access modality Direct ☐ International ☒

A.8. Project size category (total investment, million USD)

Micro (≤10) ☐ Small (10<x≤50) ☒ Medium (50<x≤250) ☐ Large (>250) ☐

A.9. Mitigation / adaptation focus

Mitigation ☐ Adaptation ☒ Cross-cutting ☐

A.10. Public or private public

A.11. Results areas

(mark all that apply)

Which of the following targeted results areas does the proposed project/programme address?

Reduced emissions from:

☐ Energy access and power generation

(E.g. on-grid, micro-grid or off-grid solar, wind, geothermal, etc.)

☐ Low emission transport

(E.g. high-speed rail, rapid bus system, etc.)

☐ Buildings, cities, industries and appliances

(E.g. new and retrofitted energy-efficient buildings, energy-efficient equipment for companies and supply chain management, etc.)

☐ Forestry and land use

(E.g. forest conservation and management, agroforestry, agricultural irrigation, water treatment and management, etc.)

1 Please use the following naming convention for the file name: “[CN]-[Agency short name]-[Date]-[Serial number]” (e.g.

CN-ABC-20150101-1).

mailto:[email protected]





Increased resilience of:

☒ Most vulnerable people and communities

(E.g. mitigation of operational risk associated with climate change – diversification of supply sources and supply chain management, relocation of manufacturing facilities and warehouses, etc.)

☒ Health and well-being, and food and water security

(E.g. climate-resilient crops, efficient irrigation systems, etc.)

☐ Infrastructure and built environment

(E.g. sea walls, resilient road networks, etc.)

☒ Ecosystems and ecosystem services

(E.g. ecosystem conservation and management, ecotourism, etc.)

A.12. Project / programme life span

7 years

A.13. Estimated implementation start and end date

Start: January 2018

End: December 2024

B. Project/Programme Details

The Fund requires the following preliminary information in order to promptly assess the eligibility of project/programme investment. These requirements may vary depending on the nature of the project/programme.

B.1. Project / programme description (including objectives)

Project Summary: Climate change will have substantial impacts on the livelihoods of smallholder farmers in northern Ghana. Shifting rainfall and temperature regimes are expected to reduce already suboptimal crop yields, subsequently decreasing the food security and income generation of the country’s most vulnerable people. These negative impacts will be compounded by – and further enhance – severe environmental degradation resulting from rapid population growth, a dependence on natural resources, and the use of unsustainable agricultural techniques. Without effective adaptation action, it is likely that northern smallholder farmers will remain vulnerable to the current and future effects of climate change, with serious repercussions for the northern and Ghanaian economy. The proposed GCF project will use an ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) approach to instigate a paradigm shift in the agro-based rural economy of northern Ghana. Climate impacts on farmers, such as soil nutrient loss, flood damage and drought-induced crop failure, will be circumvented and/or disrupted using a suite of interventions implemented at the plot, farm and landscape levels. EbA interventions will include inter alia: i) conservation agriculture techniques; ii) agroforestry; iii) fire management; and iv) riverbank stabilisation. Vulnerable communities will also be trained on post-harvest management approaches (e.g. post-harvest storage, processing and financial management) that optimise the benefits accrued from on-field interventions. The proposed GCF project will use a grassroots approach to project design and implementation to facilitate a widespread and sustained behavioural transformation in smallholder farming communities. The strategic selection of target beneficiaries, as well as an extensive knowledge-sharing campaign, will facilitate upscaling and replication of the project’s interventions. The proposed GCF project is a nationally driven effort and is fully aligned with the national strategies, policies, plans and investment pipelines of Ghana. It specifically achieves priorities set out in the Nationally Determined Contribution and UNFCCC communications Problem Setting: The climate of Ghana has changed considerably in recent decades and is expected to continue changing markedly throughout the 21st century. In the last ~60 years, for example, average annual temperatures across Ghana have increased by approximately 1 ̊C, from ~26.8 ̊C in the 1950s to ~27.8 ̊C


2 Data are from: http://sdwebx.worldbank.org/climateportal/index.cfm.

3 A scenario where greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise throughout the 21

st century.

4 Platts PJ, Omeny PA, Marchant R (2015). AFRICLIM: high-resolution climate projections for ecological applications in

Africa. African Journal of Ecology 53, 103-108. 5 Source: http://www.emdat.be/country_profile/index.html

6 Source: http://www.emdat.be/country_profile/index.html

7 Please see Annex 2. ‘Feasibility Study’ for more information on recent climate hazards and extreme events.

8 Please see Annex 2. ‘Feasibility Study’ for more information on climate and climate change in Ghana.

9 Farms < 2 hectares in size.

10 Ministry of Food and Agriculture – 2012 – Agriculture in Ghana: Facts and Figures.

11 For example, see: Anang B.T., Akuriba M.A., Alerigesane A.A. – 2011 – Charcoal production in Gushegu District,

Northern Region, Ghana: lessons for sustainable forest management. International Journal of Environmental Science 1: 1945–1954. 12

Ghana attained middle income status with a Gross National Income per capita of $1,260 – in 2010.

in the early 2000s2

. Under a business-as-usual scenario3

, temperatures are predicted to continue rising at an accelerated rate during the 21st century. Compared with the present, temperature increases of ~2.8 ̊C and ~4.5 ̊C are expected by 2055 and 2085, respectively

4. While mean annual rainfall has remained relatively

consistent, highly variable rainfall patterns have led to numerous flood and drought events in recent history

5. For example, Ghana’s worst drought in modern times

affected ~12.5 million people across the country from 1981 to 1983, and a flood in 2010 displaced ~33,000 people in the Central Gonja District

6. Evidence suggests

that such events have become increasingly common and are likely to intensify in the coming decades

7. In general, future climate projections predict that dry season

rainfall will decrease, dry seasons will lengthen and wet season rainfall will increase and intensify. Although climate change has and will occur across the country, the relatively hot and dry Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions of Ghana have been, and will continue to be, exposed to the most substantial changes in climate

8.

In addition to the three northern regions of Ghana being exposed to climate change, the people living in the north are also more sensitive and less adapted to climate change than the rest of Ghana’s population. Approximately 70% of the ~4 million people living in northern Ghana depend on traditional, small-scale

9, rainfed

agricultural systems to generate household incomes and maintain food security10

. These agricultural systems are vulnerable to changes in rainfall patterns and extreme climate events. Additionally, a large proportion of northern Ghanaians rely on climate-dependent ecosystem goods produced in the agro-ecological landscapes in which their livelihoods are embedded. For example, charcoal production supplements the agricultural incomes of many smallholder farmers

11 and natural fruit

trees provide an additional and vital source of nutrition. This reliance on climate-dependent livelihoods makes northern Ghanaians particularly sensitive to changes and variability in rainfall and temperature. The northern populace of Ghana also has limited capacity to adapt to climate change by moderating potential damages, taking advantage of opportunities and/or coping with the consequences. Although Ghana has experienced rapid economic growth and development in the last decade

12, this advancement has not benefitted the

http://sdwebx.worldbank.org/climateportal/index.cfm

http://www.emdat.be/country_profile/index.html

http://www.emdat.be/country_profile/index.html


13

Please see Annex 2. ‘Feasibility Study’ for more information on poverty and the north-south development divide. 14

Poverty data extracted from: Ghana Statistical Service – 2015 – Ghana Poverty Mapping Report. 15

Data were extracted from: UNICEF and CDD Ghana – 2015 – Ghana’s District League Table 2015. Strengthening social accountability for national development. 16

Please see ‘Geographies of intervention’ and ‘Needs of the recipient’ below for more information on climate change vulnerability. 17

Please see Annex 2. ‘Feasibility Study’ for a list of recent drought and flood events in Ghana. 18

including soil erosion and nutrient loss 19

Common rudimentary farming tools include the hoe and cutlass and slash-and-burn agriculture is pervasive. 20

Please see Annex 2. ‘Feasibility Study’ for more information on traditional farming techniques in northern Ghana. 21

MoFA, SRID (2011) Agriculture in Ghana: Facts and Figures 2010. 22

Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) – 2014 – Establishing the status of postharvest losses and storage for major staple crops in eleven African countries (Phase II). AGRA: Nairobi, Kenya. 23

Many smallholder farmers in northern Ghana can only provide one meal per day for their families. 24

On average, the incomes of northern farmers are lower than farmers further south.

population evenly across the country. Most progress has been made in the southern, coastal regions where millions of people have moved beyond natural resource-based livelihoods and escaped poverty

13, becoming less sensitive and more adaptable to

climate change in the process. This has not been the case in the northern regions and adaptive capacity remains minimal. For example, in the northern regions of Ghana: i) approximately 2 million people (~50% of the population)

14 remain below the poverty line with limited financial resources to buffer them against climate-related livelihood shocks; ii) economic activity and development is low and affords limited opportunity to diversify into climate-resilient livelihoods and/or attain modern agricultural technologies; and iii) access to education, sanitation, water, healthcare, security and effective governance is inadequate

15 and impedes social development. The combination of excessive exposure to a harsh and rapidly changing climate, a dependence on climate-sensitive livelihoods and low adaptive capacity makes the smallholder farmers of northern Ghana exceptionally vulnerable to current and future climate change

16. Recently, frequent droughts and floods

17, as well as extensive

environmental degradation18

and the use of outdated agricultural practices19, 20

, have interacted to considerably reduce the crop yields of farmers in the north. Indeed, the average yields of important crops such as maize, cassava and yam are approximately 28%, 28% and 31%, respectively, of achievable levels

21. Furthermore,

northern Ghanaians can lose up to ~20%22

of agricultural produce because of poor post-harvest management techniques that lead to: i) wastage during processing; ii) spoilage associated with extreme heat or excess water; and iii) attacks from agricultural pests. These suboptimal yields and post-harvest losses have reduced food security

23, limited agricultural incomes

24 and, therefore, further diminished the

climate resilience of smallholder farmers in the northern regions of Ghana.


25

as well as land degradation and the use of outdated farming technologies, 26

The agricultural sector accounted for ~21% of Ghana’s GDP in 2015. Please see Annex 2. Feasibility Study for more information on the economy of Ghana. 27

The Government of Ghana considers the agricultural sector as pivotal to economic growth and poverty reduction in northern Ghana. 28

Al-Hassan R.M. & Diao X. – 2007 – Regional disparities in Ghana: policy options and public investment implications. International Food Policy Research Institute. Discussion Paper No. 00693. 29

Al-Hassan R. & Poulton C. – 2009 – Agriculture and social protection in Ghana. Future Agricultures Consortium Working Paper No. SP04. 30

Arndt C., Asante F. & Thurlow J. – 2015 – Implications of climate change for Ghana’s economy. Sustainability 7, 7214–7231. 31

Please see D.4. and Annex 2. ‘Feasibility Study’ for a description of climate impacts and adaptation needs in the agricultural sector of northern Ghana. 32

Rainfall projections for West Africa contain considerable uncertainty and should, therefore, be interpreted with caution. The GCF project will take a “no-regret approach” to climate change adaptation whereby implemented adaptation interventions will increase climate resilience regardless of the direction and magnitude of changes in rainfall. 33

Even at present, very few smallholder farmers in northern Ghana can afford to apply the recommended amounts of inorganic fertilisers. 34

Kombiok J.M., Buah S.S.J. & Sogbedji J.M. – 2012 – Enhancing soil fertility for cereal production through biological practices and the integration of organic and in-organic fertilizers in the Northern Savanna Zone of Ghana. http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/53414. 35

Since the 1960s, floods have resulted in the deaths of approximately 450 people across Ghana. Please see Annex 2. Feasibility Study for details on drought and flood events in Ghana.

The effects of climate variability and change

25 on the northern agro-based rural

economy are also experienced at the national level. While the smallholder farmers of northern Ghana produce most of the country’s agricultural outputs, virtually no major agricultural products are exported from the north. This is because suboptimal crop yields and post-harvest losses, both of which are strongly linked to climate change, force northern farmers into subsistence lifestyles. The agricultural sector in northern Ghana consequently contributes only a small amount to the economy of the country

26 even though it has considerable potential to be a driver of local

27, 28, 29 and

national30

economic growth as well as development. Future climate impacts and adaptation needs

31: Without appropriate adaptation

actions, the impacts of climate variability and change on smallholder farmers in northern Ghana are likely to worsen in the coming decades. Future changes in rainfall and temperature have the potential to considerably reduce already suboptimal agricultural yields, which would further decrease food security and household income. The predicted increase in wet season rainfall

32 and decrease in the length of the wet

season would result in: i) enhanced wet season rainfall intensity; ii) increased soil erosion and nutrient loss in agro-ecological systems; iii) increased flash flood frequency and intensity; and iv) on-field waterlogging. These climate impacts would result in the following effects on smallholder farmers.

The loss of on-field soil nutrients would reduce crop yields and increase agricultural input (e.g. inorganic fertiliser) costs

33, 34, which in turn would diminish

the food security and incomes of smallholder farming communities.

Waterlogging from heavy rainfall and/or flood events would also reduce crop yields by decreasing the oxygen available to the roots of crops.

Frequent and intense floods would damage agricultural crops and damage community infrastructures such as agricultural storage facilities, also resulting in reduced food security and income generation.

Floods could pose a serious threat to the lives of people living near rivers35

.

Shifting rainfall regimes, in combination with changes in temperature (described below) are likely to lead to enhanced agricultural pest infestations, weed incursions and disease transmission. In such a scenario, agricultural yields would decrease and the ability of farmers to store crop outputs for future use would be reduced.

Projected increases in temperature, as well as longer dry seasons, would likely: i)

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/53414


36

i.e. providing goods such as firewood and fruits of nutritional and cultural importance, as well as services like soil erosion control. 37

According to the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division , the population of Ghana is expected to grow from ~27.4 million in 2015 to ~73 million people by 2100. 38

Jones, H.P., Hole, D.G. & Zavaleta, E.S. 2012. Harnessing nature to help people adapt to climate change. Nature Climate Change 2, 504-509. 39

Doswald N., Munroe R., Roe D., Giuliani A., Castelli I., Stephens J., Moller I., Spencer T., Vira B., Reid H. – 2014 – Effectiveness of ecosystem-based approaches for adaptation: review of the evidence-base. Climate and Development, DOI: 10.1080/17565529.2013.867247.

decrease the length of the agricultural production period; ii) elevate potential evapotranspiration rates; iii) increase drought frequency and intensity; iv) reduce soil moisture content; and v) increase the frequency and intensity of wildfires. These climate impacts would substantially affect smallholder farmers. The probable effects of increased temperature and longer dry seasons are described below.

A shortened agricultural production period would lessen crop yields as the number of achievable cropping cycles within a growing season would be reduced.

Increased rates of potential evapotranspiration would, similarly, reduce crop production through reduced soil water content and lowering of groundwater levels.

Increased temperatures would cause stored agricultural products to spoil at an enhanced rate.

Droughts are likely to become more frequent and intense which would put severe strain on the food security and income generation of farming households. In the worst cases, sustained droughts would lead to major crop failures, the death of livestock and, subsequently, severe nutritional deficits and human death.

High wet season rainfall would result in the enhanced transfer of biomass in agro-ecological systems into the dry season. With high temperatures and evapotranspiration and an abundant fuel load, wildfires would become more frequent and severe with serious repercussions on farming activities and ecosystem goods and services

36.

Like floods and pest infestations, wildfires would destroy crops being stored for future use.

Separately and combined, the above impacts of future climate change on smallholder farmers in northern Ghana are expected to be severe. This scenario is likely to be compounded by increases in the human population

37 and associated land

shortages and environmental degradation. Future changes in climate could, however, also provide opportunities for smallholder farmers. For example, heavy rainfall events and excess water availability could prove beneficial to crop yields if farmers are able to limit soil erosion and nutrient loss. Likewise, the enhanced productivity of natural vegetation could result in the increased production of nutritious fruits if communities manage to suppress wildfires. Therefore, smallholder farmers in northern Ghana could moderate potential damages and/or take advantage of opportunities associated with climate change if they can adapt and enhance their climate resilience. Ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) provides an effective framework for building climate resilience when the livelihoods of vulnerable people are rooted within agro-ecological systems. This is the case in northern Ghana where smallholder farmers rely on ecosystem good and services such as: i) the maintenance of soil fertility for agriculture; ii) protection from erosion and flooding; iii) non-timber forest products (NTFPs) such as medicinal and cultural plants and food sources; and iv) forage for livestock. EbA offers a low-cost and effective way to reduce climate change vulnerability while enhancing multiple ecosystem benefits for vulnerable communities. As part of an integrated adaptation approach, EbA has been shown to require comparatively small investments relative to the long-term social, economic and environmental benefits

38, 39. In northern Ghana, smallholder farmers could adapt

to current and impending climate change by implementing a variety of EbA


40

MESTI & EPA 2014. Ghana Environmental Management Project 2014 Annual and Project Completion Report. 41

The World Bank – 2010 – Project appraisal document on a proposed grant from the Global Environment Facility Trust Fund in the amount of US$ 8.15 million to the Republic of Ghana for a Sustainable Land and Water Management Project. 42

West and Central Africa Division, Programme Management Department. Ghana Agricultural Sector Investment Programme (GASIP) Design Report. Main report and appendices. 23 May 2014. 43

Please see Annex 2 ‘Feasibility Study’ for more information on past and ongoing projects. 44

Care Adaptive Learning Programme for Africa (ALP). Available at: http://careclimatechange.org/our-work/alp/

interventions, including inter alia: i) climate-smart agriculture; ii) agroforestry; and iii) climate-resilient land management. Past and ongoing efforts: The Government of Ghana (GoG) is aware of the difficulties facing people living in the country’s northern regions. Several past and ongoing projects have attempted to improve agricultural and land management methods to increase crop yields and reduce environmental degradation. However, few projects have considered explicitly the impacts of climate change on the agro-based rural economy. This is an important omission given the vulnerability of the agricultural sector to climate threats and the important role that the sector can play in the Ghanaian economy. For example, although the Ghana Environmental Management Project (GEMP, 2009–2016)

40 and the Sustainable Land and Water

Management Project (SLWMP, 2011–2020)41

– two of Ghana’s flagship environmental programmes – indirectly contribute to climate change resilience of local communities, neither project has a specific focus on climate change adaptation. The GEMP established a framework for environmental management, including setting up 201 environmental management committees (EMCs) at the regional, district and community levels. These EMCs, together with radio broadcasts and environmental education programmes, have facilitated the dissemination of technical advice on drought, desertification and improved farming practices. This has resulted in improved crop and livestock yields for targeted smallholder farmers. Using the management structures put in place through GEMP, the SLWMP focuses on providing on-the-ground, innovative technologies for sustainable land and water management (SLWM) to enhance soil productivity, biodiversity and watershed services in northern Ghana. While this project also improves the adaptive capacity of targeted communities, the initiatives under SLWMP are not specifically designed for climate-change resilience. For example, tree species used in agroforestry and afforestation/revegetation are not necessarily climate-resilient and may, as a result, die during droughts and/or floods. By not implementing the project within a climate change adaptation framework, the long-term sustainability of the SLWMP – and the benefits accruing to project beneficiaries – is compromised. Another large-scale programme, which in contrast to the SLWMP does have some focus on climate change, is the Ghana Agricultural Sector Investment Programme (GASIP)

42.This is a long-term programme aimed at providing a framework and

institutional basis for upscaling investment in private sector-led pro-poor agricultural value chain development. GASIP is currently in the process of sourcing funding as part of the first of two three-year cycles. It is estimated that ~US$11 million of GASIPs budget will be specifically directed towards strengthening climate change resilience in Ghana. Climate change adaptation, however, is only a small component of this large-scale investment programme. This shortfall in spending on climate change adaptation is common in most development initiatives in Ghana. Past and ongoing projects in Ghana that have a primary focus on climate change are generally small scale, with limited funding and population coverage. Of the 10 past and ongoing climate change-related projects reviewed (detailed below)

43, the total

combined climate change adaptation budgets amounted to ~US$70 million over a period of 12 years. The largest direct contribution to climate change adaptation came from the Care Adaptation Learning Programme (CARE ALP

44 ~US$26.7 million in

Ghana), which aimed to increase the adaptive capacity of households in sub-Saharan Africa using a community-based adaptation (CBA) approach. Much of the focus of CARE ALP was on building adaptive capacity by improving access to climate information, empowering communities in decision-making on climate adaptation and promoting CBA best practices that can be upscaled across a range


45 Please see Annex 2 ‘Feasibility Study’ for a full description of gaps and barriers to climate change adaptation in Ghana. 46

Please see ‘D.2. Paradigm shift potential’ for details on how this shift will be achieved.

of climate and socio-economic contexts. This included early-actions including inter alia seed multiplication, conservation-based agriculture practices and micro-finance initiatives. Other projects with a focus on building climate resilience in the agricultural sector include: i) Support Transition Towards Climate Smart Agriculture Food Systems (2015–2016 US$ 1.1 million), which facilitated the scaling up of climate-smart agriculture in Ghana; ii) Resilient Landscapes for Sustainable Livelihoods (RLSL, 2013–2016, US$ 3.3 million), which developed sustainable land management approaches for agriculture; iii) Adaptation of Agro-Ecosystems to Climate Change in Ghana (AAESCC, 2012–2017, US$ 3.9 million), which aimed to reduce climate-related crop losses in the savannah and transitional regions of northern Ghana through pilot measures; and iv) Climate Change Adaptation in Northern Ghana Enhanced (CHANGE, 2013–2015, US$ 3 million), which assisted smallholder farmers in building their resilience to the impacts of climate change on agriculture, food security and livelihoods. These projects, however, are all stand-alone initiatives that target specific communities in different geographic locations. This, combined with the limited coordination between these initiatives, limits their overall impact, long-term sustainability and upscaling potential. Barriers to climate change adaptation

45 in northern Ghana: Several barriers

have prevented climate change adaptation technologies from being widely adopted and transformative in the agro-based rural economy of northern Ghana. These barriers include:

limited institutional and technical capacity for the implementation of climate change adaptation interventions;

limited integration of climate change adaptation into development planning at a local level;

implementation of climate change adaptation interventions is largely limited to donor funded projects which have limited geographic scope and population coverage;

limited awareness-raising and training of smallholder farmers to adapt to climate change;

farmers have limited access to climate change adaptation technologies;ited knowledge of agro-business management practices and limited market access;

limited institutional and technical capacity to efficiently manage information on climate change;

limited coordination and communication between projects, government and academic institutions; and

limited involvement of academic and research institutions in climate change adaptation research and M&E of projects.

GCF alternative scenario: The GoG recognises the continued vulnerability of its northern citizens to a changing climate and consequently acknowledges the need to enhance the climate-resilience of the agro-based rural economy upon which nearly three million people rely. In this context, the GoG requests a US$40 million grant from the GCF to implement the 7-year “Climate-resilient landscapes for sustainable livelihoods in northern Ghana” project. To enhance climate resilience, the proposed GCF project will achieve an alternative scenario to the climate-vulnerable circumstances currently prevailing in northern Ghana. The alternative scenario will involve effecting a paradigm shift

46 within the agro-based rural economy of the north.

This shift will be accomplished by initiating a sustained and far-reaching behavioural transformation at strategic positions along the agricultural value chain. Adaptation interventions will deliberately target those points along the value chain that: i) prevent the enhancement of climate resilience; ii) are inherently vulnerable to climate change; and/or iii) present the greatest opportunities to exploit advances made elsewhere along the chain. The proposed GCF project will, therefore, focus on the input supply, agricultural production and post-harvest management components of


47

Please see ‘Project outputs and activities’ for more information on specific adaptation interventions. 48

Representing the agricultural production component of the value chain. 49

Please see ‘Project outputs and activities’ for details on specific outputs and activities. 50

Approximately 17% of Ghana’s population. 51

Whereas southern regions experience a bimodal rainfall pattern. 52 Please see ‘Problem setting’ above for more information on sensitivity an adaptive capacity. 53

Please see Annex 2 ‘Feasibility Study’ for a full description of how climate change vulnerability was calculated.

the agricultural value chain in northern Ghana. Specific adaptations solutions47

will be implemented at the level of the smallholder farming community

48 to disrupt

climate impact pathways that threaten agricultural production. As discussed above, these impact pathways include: i) soil erosion and nutrient loss; ii) floods and droughts; iii) damage by weeds, pests and diseases; iv) intense wildfires; and v) soil moisture loss and/or waterlogging. Interventions focused on improving input supply will enable certain adaptation actions to enhance the resilience of agricultural production. Furthermore, activities that target storage and processing will enhance income generation and improve food security. The above will be achieved by creating an enabling environment for adaptation planning at the national, regional and district levels of Ghana

49.

Geographies of intervention and target beneficiaries: The proposed GCF project will be implemented in the Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions of Ghana. Collectively, these regions are home to ~4 million people

50 and 35% of the total

Ghanaian population below the poverty line. As described above, the three northern regions are especially exposed to harsh climatic conditions and a changing climate. Minimum, maximum and average temperatures are highest in the northern regions, while rainfall is low and concentrated into just one annual wet season

51. Under a

business-as-usual scenario, mean temperatures are expected to increase by ~17% and mean annual rainfall by ~7% by 2085 for all three northern regions. Additionally, the northern populace is extremely sensitive to climate variability and change and has limited capacity to adapt to any changes in climate

52. It is for these reasons of

excessive exposure, elevated sensitivity and limited adaptive capacity that the northern regions of Ghana are considered the most vulnerable regions of the country to climate change

53.

Within the northern regions of Ghana, implementation of the proposed GCF project will be focused in eight districts, namely: i) the Bunkpurugu Yonyoo and Mamprusi East Districts of the Northern Region; ii) the Garu Tempane and Binduri Districts of the Upper East Region; and iii) the Lawra, Lambussie, Jirapa and Wa West Districts of the Upper West Region. These districts were selected for project implementation using a comprehensive quantitative assessment of district-specific vulnerability to climate change and a rigorous stakeholder engagement process. In addition to the vulnerability assessment incorporating exposure, sensitivity and adaptive capacity, the assessment also identified those districts that had previously received support from other projects. Districts with extensive previous support were not considered for the proposed GCF project in an effort to increase the geographic and population coverage of support. Taking climate change vulnerability scores into account, the final project districts were selected by national, regional and district level stakeholders from: i) the National Designated Authority (NDA) of Ghana within the Ministry of Finance (MoF); ii) members of the inter-ministerial Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) to the NDA; iii) staff of the Directorate of Crop Services from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA); iv) representatives of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI); and v) members of civil society organisations. Within each district, 15 communities will receive direct support from the proposed GCF project. Each community will receive support for three consecutive years. Across the eight districts, the project will, therefore, support 120 communities over a


54

The selection will take place by the time the funding proposal is submitted to the GCF. 55

i.e. high exposure and sensitivity and low adaptive capacity. 56

<5km 57

Consultations with District Assemblies will focus on district extension officers, planning officers, disaster risk officers and fire services. 58

Project activities will enhance the agricultural productivity of smallholder farmers, allowing farmers to sell excess produce to increase their household income. 59

Activities under Outputs 2, 3 and 4. 60

REMCs were established by the GoG during a decentralisation exercise and strengthened under the GEMP. 61

Please see B.5. Implementation arrangements for more information on the composition and roles of REMCs. 62

including general office equipment, computers, software, vehicles and fuel.

period of seven years. The direct beneficiary communities will be selected54

based on a rigorous set of selection criteria and comprehensive consultations at the national, regional, district and community levels. The selection criteria will include inter alia: i) high vulnerability to climate change

55; ii) close proximity

56 to at least five

other vulnerable, non-beneficiary communities; iii) a willingness to participate; and iv) favourable land availability and access. Beneficiary communities will also be selected to ensure a representative geographic coverage across each district. The selection process will involve consultations with: i) representatives from MESTI, MoFA and the NDA at the national level; ii) EPA and Department of Agriculture staff from the Northern, Upper East and Upper West regional offices; iii) zonal EPA officers within target districts; iv) District Assemblies (DA)

57 from the eight target

districts; v) leaders from potential beneficiary communities; and vi) beneficiary community members. Project outputs and activities: The proposed GCF project interventions will enhance the climate resilience of vulnerable smallholder farming communities in northern Ghana by improving food security and contributing to the agro-based rural economy

58. This would be achieved through four inter-related outputs (please see

below) that contribute to the GCF outcomes of: i) strengthened institutional and regulatory systems for climate-responsive planning and development; and ii) strengthened adaptive capacity and reduced exposure to climate risks. The proposed GCF project will also contribute to the fund-level impacts of: i) increased resilience and enhanced livelihoods of the most vulnerable people, communities and regions; and ii) increased resilience of health and well-being, and food and water security. Output 1: Strengthened institutional capacity to develop, promote, implement and monitor climate change adaptation programmes in the agricultural sector. Through Output 1, the proposed GCF project will overcome barriers relating to limited institutional capacity to develop, promote, implement and monitor climate change adaptation programmes in the agricultural sector. This limited capacity refers to financial, technical and infrastructural limitations at regional and district levels. Activities under Output 1 will result in strengthened institutions with the capacity required to implement further activities

59.

Activity 1.1: Regional and district institutional structures established/strengthened and equipped to implement and monitor climate change adaptation projects. At the regional level, this activity will strengthen existing Regional Environmental Management Committees (REMCs)

60, 61 in the Northern, Upper East and Upper West

Regions by providing them with the equipment62

required to oversee and coordinate regional activities. Regional EPA and Department of Agriculture offices in Tamale (Northern Region), Bolgatanga (Upper East Region) and Wa (Upper West Region) will be provided with similar support to strengthen the delivery of technical support and project coordination. District Environmental Management Committees


63

DEMCs were established by the GoG during a decentralisation exercise and strengthened under the GEMP. 64 Please see B.5. Implementation arrangements for more information on the composition and roles of DEMCs. 65 including general office equipment, computers, software, cameras, global positioning systems, vehicles and fuel. 66

Extension services include the provision of information, technical guidance and support for the adoption of new agriculture practices (including climate-resilient practices), creating an intermediary between research and farmers. 67

Every district in Ghana is required by the GoG to produce a medium-term development plan. 68

Training will focus on the climate impact pathways affecting smallholder farmers. 69

The EbA menu developed in the Feasibility Study will be revisable if/when new information becomes available throughout the project. 70

EbA technologies will include climate-smart agriculture interventions such as: i) crop rotation and intercropping; ii) slash and mulching; iii) contour bunding; iv) vegetative barriers; v) ridging; vi) organic composting and planting pits; vii) cover cropping; and viii) certified and climate-resilient seed use. Other EbA interventions will include: i) dry season gardening; ii) river bank protection; iii) fire management; and iv) agroforestry. For more information on EbA interventions, please see Annex 2 ‘Feasibility Study’

(DEMCs)63, 64

will be established and equipped in those target districts where they are not present. Existing DEMCs will be equipped to strengthen district-level project implementation and monitoring. District Agricultural Offices within the Department of Agriculture (DoA) in each target district will receive equipment

65 that enables the

effective and efficient delivery and monitoring of extension services66

. District Assemblies (DAs) in target districts will also be supported to incorporate climate change adaptation into medium-term district development plans (please see Activity 1.2). Activity 1.2: Relevant staff at the regional and district level trained to integrate climate change adaptation into local development planning processes. Staff from the DA Planning Committees of the eight target districts will be trained on: i) climate change; ii) why climate change should be considered in district-level development planning; and iii) how climate change adaptation can be integrated into district development plans. DA staff to receive training include: i) environmental officers; ii) coordinating officers; iii) budget officers; and iv) planning officers. The training will enable DAs to include climate change considerations into future medium-term district development plans

67. Staff at regional planning offices of the Northern, Upper East

and Upper West Regions will receive the same or similar training to enable them to coordinate the district development planning processes and integrate these plans into regional development plans. Lessons learned from such training at the regional and district levels will inform national policy uptake to enable the sustainability of project initiatives. Activity 1.3: Extension officers trained on climate change and EbA. Extension officers from the DEMCs in each of the eight target districts of the proposed GCF project will receive training on: i) climate change theory

68; ii) the implementation of a dynamic

menu69

of EbA interventions70

; and iii) how to train smallholder farmers to implement the menu of EbA interventions. All training will be conducted by appropriate departments within the GoG to reduce project costs and mainstream the activity. The training provided to extension officers will form the foundation of resilience enhancing activities in Output 2 and the upscaling activities of Output 4.

Output 2: Enhanced climate resilience of smallholder farmers in northern Ghana through implementation of EbA interventions. Output 2 will focus on developing necessary structures, performing relevant training and implementing on-the-ground interventions that will build the climate resilience of smallholder farmers. Activities under Output 2 will be implemented in stages. Beneficiary communities will be


71

For example, staff within the EPA, specializing in education. 72

Lead Farmers will act as community champions for the GCF project. They will be selected based on: i) farming experience; ii) social standing and local/region network; iii) ability to train other farmers; and iv) willingness to participate. Half of Lead Farmers will be female. 73

Training materials will be developed by relevant departments of the GoG. 74

This will be determined by the time the Funding Proposal is submitted. 75

Equipment will include motorcycles, fuel, cameras and GPSs. 76

These groups will be non-discriminatory and representative in terms of inter alia: i) gender; ii) age; iii) occupation; iv) leadership positions; v) land ownership; and vi) religion. Lead Farmers will be included in CCAGs. 77

Evaluation criteria will include: i) consistency with budget limits; ii) consistency with EbA interventions from the agreed menu of options; iii) clearly established land ownership/tenure rights; iv) appropriate implementation duration; v) the consistency of the CCAP with environmental and social safeguards; vi) a realistic implementation plan and budget; and vii) the signature of the responsible extension officer. These criteria will be developed further during development of the Funding Proposal. 78

For example, a community may identify the need to construct a school or health facility within the CCAP.

divided into subsets, with each subset receiving assistance at discrete periods staggered across the timeframe of the project. Furthermore, each individual community will receive assistance for a minimum of three years. Activity 2.1: Beneficiary communities in northern Ghana, with a focus on Lead Farmers, trained on climate change and EbA. Beneficiary communities will receive extensive sensitisation on the proposed GCF project before any on-the-ground activities are implemented. This will ensure that communities understand the objectives of the project and their responsibilities. Staff from relevant departments of the GoG

71 will train beneficiary communities on climate change and the climate

impact pathways most relevant to them as smallholder farmers. Extension officers will then introduce the menu of EbA interventions to communities, explaining the theoretical and technical elements of each intervention and how they can enhance climate-resilience. Training and sensitisation will include demonstrations of EbA interventions to provide practical experience and highlight advantages over traditional farming techniques. Extension officers will also identify Lead Farmers

72

who will receive detailed training on climate change adaptation and the menu of EbA interventions. Lead Farmers will also receive training and training materials

73 that will

enable them to teach EbA interventions to non-beneficiary communities. Depending on the number of agricultural extension officers in the district

74, Lead Farmers may

be equipped75

to provide informal extension services to surrounding communities. Activity 2.2: Community Climate Action Plans developed by beneficiary communities. Community Climate Action Groups

76 (CCAGs) will be established in each of the

beneficiary communities. CCAGs will serve to plan and coordinate the GCF interventions within each beneficiary community. With facilitation from DEMCs and agricultural extension officers, CCAGs will develop Community Climate Action Plans (CCAPs) for each beneficiary community. Using the sensitisation and training received in Activity 2.1, CCAGs will develop CCAPs that: i) identify the most serious climate threats experienced or likely to be experienced by the community; ii) select and justify potential adaptation interventions from the EbA menu that will help build climate resilience; and iii) detail implementation and budgeting requirements to implement potential adaptation interventions. The adaptation interventions detailed in each CCAP will be reviewed against evaluation criteria

77 by DEMCs, REMCs and

then finally accepted by the MoFA and EPA. Those adaptation interventions considered consistent with the evaluation criteria will be implemented in target communities by the proposed project. CCAPs will be formal medium-term plans for beneficiary communities feeding into and advising medium-term district development plans. This will allow other interventions

78 identified within the CCAPs to be

implemented by the district authorities. The procedures for the development of CCAPs will inform national policies to allow for the upscaling of CCAPs across non-


79

Permissible inputs will include inter alia: i) land development; ii) simple farming tools; iii) fertiliser sprayers; iv) tree seedlings; v) fencing materials; vi) water storage tanks; vii) climate-resilient seeds; viii) chemical fertilisers; ix) herbicides; and x) pesticides. 80

Communities will not receive direct access to funds, but instead the executing entity will be responsible for the

procurement and delivery of inputs to the beneficiaries. Details on the delivery mechanism will be given in the Funding Proposal. 81

Such as, beekeeping, pomade production, bamboo farming, small-ruminant rearing, shea butter processing and soap making. Please see Annex 2. ‘Feasibility Study’ for more information on climate-resilient livelihoods. 82

Including the cleaning, sorting and storing of agricultural outputs. Please see Annex 2. ‘Feasibility Study’ for more information on postharvest management techniques. 83

Inputs would include tools, processing machinery and storage facilities.

target communities. Activity 2.3: Climate change adaptation interventions, including EbA, identified in the CCAPs implemented in beneficiary communities. The proposed GCF project will provide technical and input

79 ,80 support to beneficiary communities to implement

climate change interventions, including EbA, identified in their CCAPs. These EbA technologies will include climate-smart agriculture interventions such as: i) crop rotation and intercropping; ii) slash and mulching; iii) contour bunding; iv) vegetative barriers; v) ridging; vi) organic composting and planting pits; vii) cover cropping; and viii) certified and climate-resilient seed use. Other EbA interventions will include: i) dry season gardening; ii) river bank protection; iii) fire management; and iv) agroforestry. The interventions will be implemented by the local communities with technical support from District Agriculture Offices, agricultural extension officers and/or Lead Farmers. Output 3: Enhanced and diversified income generation of smallholder farming communities through: i) implementation of climate-resilient livelihoods and improved post-harvest crop management; ii) investment in hard, agro-based assets; and iii) strengthening of business and financial management expertise. Through Output 3, beneficiary communities will be capacitated to take advantage of the agricultural advances achieved through Output 2. Additionally, the capacity of beneficiaries to implement additional livelihoods and improve existing livelihoods that enhance climate resilience will be strengthened. The assistance provided in Output 3 will be separated to that provided for implementing interventions under the CCAPs, however, interventions will only be implemented if they captured in or complement the CCAPs. Activity 3.1: Climate-resilient livelihoods and post-harvest crop management established in beneficiary communities. The proposed GCF project will expose beneficiary communities to climate-resilient livelihoods

81 and post-harvest crop

management82

techniques that could be used to optimise the returns of increased agricultural outputs from Output 2 and enhance climate resilience. Through stakeholder meetings with DEMCs and extension officers, beneficiaries will be capacitated to implement livelihood strategies and post-harvest management techniques that are most relevant and useful to their needs. The GCF project will provide the technical and input

83 procurement assistance required to implement

selected interventions. Women will be targeted for the implementation of climate-resilient livelihood activities. Activity 3.2: Communal fodderbanks/rangelands and small-scale water infrastructure developed to support climate-resilient livelihoods. Activity 3.2 will enhance the climate resilience of livestock-rearing practices and additional water-dependent livelihood activities. Communal fodderbanks and rangelands will be developed using fast growing tree species for livestock-rearing communities to provide livestock with a sufficient and stable food source during dry seasons and droughts. This will increase livestock productivity, food security and incomes. The primary inputs provided by the proposed GCF project for the development and maintenance of


84

The number of climate-resilient seed producers will be communicated in the Funding Proposal. 85

Seed producers may come from beneficiary communities or surrounding communities. Selection criteria will include inter alia: i) location relative to users of climate-resilient seeds; ii) farming experience; iii) land availability; iv) favourable land tenure and ownership; and v) willingness to participate. 86

E.g. Marketing, determining the best time to sell products and the advantages of cooperative organisations. 87

E.g. Basic book keeping and farm budgeting. 88

These financial institutions will be identified in the development of the Funding Proposal. 89

Including a visual representation of project coverage.

fodderbanks and rangelands will be fencing materials and small-scale water infrastructure. Infrastructure such as weirs and boreholes will also be provided to selected communities to supply drinking water and support water-dependent livelihoods such as tree seedling production. Activity 3.3: Climate-resilient seed producers established to supply rural agro-based markets with climate-resilient seed varieties. Farmers

84 will be selected from several

beneficiary communities in each target district to serve as producers of climate-resilient seed varieties to be sold to other project beneficiaries and smallholder farmers in the area. Climate-resilient seed producers will be selected based on stringent selection criteria

85 and will be required to sign formal producer agreements.

Technical and input procurement assistance will be provided by the proposed GCF project through organisations like the Grain and Legumes Development Board (GLDB), the Crop Research Institute (CRI), Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (SARI) and the Plant Protection and Regulatory Services (PPRSD) of MoFA. Activity 3.4: Beneficiary communities trained on basic business and financial management and village savings groups established. All participating members of beneficiary communities will receive training on basic business

86 and financial

87

management techniques to optimise the financial returns associated with greater crop yields (Output 2) and storage and value-addition activities (Output 3). Additionally, beneficiaries will be introduced to the concept of, and motivated to establish, village savings and loans associations (VSLAs) to provide simple savings and loan facilities in communities that do not have easy access to formal financial services. Training on business and financial management and VSLAs will be conducted by relevant departments of the GoG and representatives of rural financial institutions

88 with a focus on the agricultural sector.

Output 4: Increased knowledge and awareness of climate change adaptation to inform the upscaling of climate change adaptation programmes in Ghana. Output 4 will focus on activities that contribute to knowledge sharing and awareness raising and, therefore, upscaling and replication of the project interventions. Activity 4.1: Climate Change Data Hub strengthened to collect, synthesise and disseminate information about climate change adaptation and mitigation in Ghana. The Climate Change Data Hub is Ghana’s central online platform for climate reporting (http://climatedatahubgh.com/). Currently, the information provided on the Hub is packaged into three main thematic areas, namely: i) the greenhouse gas emissions database; ii) the domestic electronic registry system; and iii) the dashboard of climate change policies and measures. While this information is useful, it is incomplete. One major shortcoming of the Hub is that it does not include up-to-date information on past and ongoing climate change adaptation and mitigation projects. This lack of information limits the sharing of relevant knowledge and undermines project coordination and development. Additionally, few end-users (e.g. smallholder farmers) have easy access to information on practical interventions that they could replicate to adapt to climate change. Activity 4.1 will strengthen the collection, synthesis and dissemination of climate change information in Ghana by: i) upgrading and restructuring the Hub’s website; ii) developing a central database for all past and ongoing project initiatives

89; iii) establishing a focal unit through which all

climate change projects are channelled; iv) extracting and displaying best practices and lessons learned from all past and ongoing projects through project reviews and

http://climatedatahubgh.com/


90

E.g. representatives from District Assemblies, DEMCs and staff from Agricultural Offices. 91

E.g. staff from regional EPA offices, REMCs and representatives of regional agricultural offices. 92

E.g. staff from the MESTI, MoFA, EPA, Ministry of Local Government, MoF and the NDA. 93

These guides will be produced by an appropriate GoG department. 94

Appropriate radio stations and shows will be identified while developing the Funding Proposal. 95

Appropriate television stations and shows will be identified while developing the Funding Proposal. 96

The host of such broadcasts will be someone with an intimate knowledge of climate change and adaptation in northern Ghana, such as a District Agricultural Director, extension officer or Lead Farmer. 97

To be determined during the development of the Funding Proposal. 98

To be determined during the development of the Funding Proposal.

interviews; v) developing a platform that groups adaptation solutions according to, for example, climate threats, livelihoods and regions, for easy navigation; and vi) undertaking an advertising campaign to raise awareness of the Hub. The strengthening of the Hub will be driven by the Climate Change Unit of the EPA and other relevant GoG departments. Activity 4.2: National-level conferences convened annually to share information and strengthen coordination between climate change adaptation projects. National-level conferences will be convened annually for stakeholders involved in climate change adaptation to share information and establish working relationships. Participants will include: i) district-level government staff

90; ii) regional-level government staff

91; iii)

national-level government staff92

; iv) project and programme managers; v) representatives of academic and research institutions; vi) NGO staff; vii) representatives of multilateral development agencies; and viii) project beneficiaries. Through information sharing and encouraged coordination, the proposed GCF project will increase the effectiveness of current and future climate change adaptation projects/programmes in Ghana. In addition, lessons learned and best practices generated through the proposed GCF project will be shared with relevant policy- and decision-makers in Ghana and will inform the development or revision of policies and strategies. This will promote the long-term sustainability of the project interventions and the EbA approach. Activity 4.3: Community level knowledge and awareness events conducted. Knowledge-sharing and awareness-raising events will be conducted across the three northern regions of Ghana. Field visits will be undertaken to expose non-beneficiary communities and extension officers from non-target districts to effective climate change adaptation solutions being implemented in the project communities. Field visit participants will receive basic theoretical and practical training on climate change and adaptation. All participants will receive practical implementation guides

93. This will promote the autonomous upscaling of project interventions in non-

target communities. Climate change awareness-raising will also be delivered to communities participating in other similar projects that do not specifically incorporate climate change threats to enhance their resilience. Phone-in radio

94 and television

95

shows will be broadcasted across northern Ghana to: i) educate smallholder farmers on the threats of climate change; ii) advise vulnerable communities how they can adapt to climate change; and iii) provide case-specific advice using the phone-in platform

96. Knowledge-sharing and awareness-raising will promote upscaling and

replication of project interventions. Activity 4.4: Long-term monitoring programmes established in partnership with national research institutions. Partnerships with appropriate national academic and research institutions will be developed to enhance and mainstream the long-term monitoring of the proposed GCF project. Partnered institutions

97 (e.g. Ghana

Statistical Service, universities, CSIR, SARI, CRI, SRI, CGIAR) will provide project staff with monitoring and evaluation training and assist directly with M&E activities. Partnered academic institutions will be required to conduct monitoring activities following rigorous scientific protocols. Monitoring and evaluation will focus primarily on inter alia: i) the achievement of project targets

98; ii) socio-economic benefits of

project interventions; iii) changes in crop productivity under different EbA scenarios; iv) climate-resilient seed performance and suitability; and v) environmental co-


99

Project staff with undergraduate degrees in agriculture or a similar field (e.g. extension officers) may be selected to pursue MSc degrees with a partnered academic institution. 100

UNEP – 2016 – Stimulating Community Initiatives in Sustainable Land Management (SCI-SLM). Terminal Evaluation, Final Report. Available at: https://wedocs.unep.org/rest/bitstreams/10610/retrieve 101

UNEP – 2011 – Addressing transboundary concerns in the Volta River basin and its downstream coastal area. Mid-term evaluation. Available at: https://wedocs.unep.org/rest/bitstreams/806/retrieve 102

UNEP-UNDP – 2013 – CC-DARE – Climate Change and Development – Adapting by Reducing Vulnerability. Terminal Evaluation, Final Report. Available at: https://wedocs.unep.org/rest/bitstreams/818/retrieve

benefits of project interventions. Through partnerships with research institutions, the proposed GCF project will result in several relevant MSc and PhD degrees being awarded

99.

B.2. Background information on project/programme sponsor

United Nations Environment Programme, an accredited entity of the Green Climate Fund, and long-time implementing entity for the Global Environment Facility, was established in 1972 and has been a lead organization in setting the global environmental agenda ever since. UN Environment has extensive experience in the design and implementation of initiatives that promote Ecosystem-based Adaptation, delivering both adaptation and mitigation benefits, and has championed tools and methodologies that this project relies on at a national and global-level, including Vulnerability Impact Assessments, Natural Capital Accounting, and others. Its core business focuses on designing and implementing initiatives that address the negative impacts of climate change through the sustainable use and conservation of ecosystems. Ecosystem-based Adaptation (EBA) uses biodiversity and ecosystem services as part of an overall adaptation strategy to help households and communities adapt to the negative effects of climate change at local, national, regional and global levels. Evergreen Agriculture and sustainable forestry are EBA methods, central to achieving sustainable climate change resilience, ecosystem health, and food security. Particularly, UN Environment offers expertise on large-scale ecosystem-based adaptation to enable countries to build climate resilience over large productive landscapes. These initiatives consequently build the climate-resilience of rural communities and facilitate the development of sustainable natural resource-based (green) economies. UN Environment possess a demonstrated and strong convening power, uniting governments and policy makers at regional and global levels towards common environmental objectives and has a long history of supporting sustainable policy change. UN Environment will act as the accredited entity, global coordinator and support policy change capacity building efforts for this project. An example of UN Environment’s operating experience in the region is the Stimulating Community Initiatives in Sustainable Land Management project (SCI-SLM, 2009–2014)

100. The overall objective of the SCI-SLM was to refine ways of

stimulating the improvement and upscaling of community-based sustainable land management initiatives and institutionally embed SCI-SLM approaches at local and regional levels in four pilot countries in Africa, including Ghana. UN Environment is currently active in Ghana under the BMUB UNEP/UNDP/WRI GCF Readiness programme. Under this programme UN Environment supported Ghana in capacity development with regards to National Designated Authority (NDA) capacity and decision making about project prioritization, supported national entity accreditation capacity building and accreditation application submission and was selected as an AE for this project when it was determined that national accreditation may delay the submission of this proposal. National entities are still being supported in their pursuit of accreditation and are invited to act as observers of this project to understand the implementation mechanisms that will be required under future GCF proposals. Further projects implemented by the UN Environment in Ghana include inter alia: i) Addressing transboundary concerns in the Volta River basin and its downstream coastal area (2007–2012)

101; and ii) CC-DARE – Climate Change and Development

– Adapting by Reducing Vulnerability (2008–2012)102

. UN Environment has further operating experience in many other developing countries, including: i) Mauritania, Nepal and Seychelles, where UN Environment is

https://wedocs.unep.org/rest/bitstreams/10610/retrieve




103

Made up of representatives from the: i) MoFA; ii) EPA; iii) REMC; iv) Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission; v) Surveying and Mapping Division of the Ghana Land Administration Project; vi) Ghana Meteorological Agency; and vii) Ghana National Fire Service.

involved in the implementation of adaptation interventions for the GEF Special Climate Change Fund (SPCCF) – US$10 million – EbA South project (2013–2017); ii) Peru, Uganda and Nepal, where UN Environment co-implemented the EbA Flagship Programme’s: Ecosystem-based Adaptation in Mountain Ecosystems (2011–2015) – funded by Germany’s Federal Ministry For the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB), €11.5 million – with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN); iii) The Gambia, in a GCF-funded project (US$25.5 million), executed by the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Water Forests and Wildlife, that is building the climate resilience of rural Gambian communities and developing a natural resource-based economy through large-scale EbA (2017–2022); iv) Cambodia, as part of an Adaptation Fund (AF) – US$5 million – project, implemented by the Ministry of Environment focussing on increasing the climate resilience of poor communities in urban areas with interventions including wetland restoration, urban reforestation and urban agriculture (2013–2017); and v) Malawi, Zambia and Mozambique, where EbA is being implemented to strengthen food security. The proposed project will build on the lessons learned from such projects by using of GCF resources.

B.3. Market overview

Due to the public goods nature of many of the proposed project's outputs, a financial and market analysis of the overall project is not pertinent. The feasibility and financial analysis will be focused on the project activities that include revenue generation for beneficiaries, rather than for the overall project and its executing or implementing entities.

B.4. Regulation, taxation and insurance

There are no government licences or permits required for the implementation of the project. Environmental permits will be required for activities/interventions that will have substantial environmental impacts during implementation of field level activities but not at national level.

B.5. Implementation arrangements

At the request of the GoG and the NDA, UN Environment will serve as the Accredited Entity for the proposed GCF project. As a GCF accredited entity, UN Environment will be responsible for overseeing the project formulation, start up, implementation, evaluations (including M&E reports, MTR and TE) and closure through its African headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya. The EPA of the MESTI will serve as the Executing Entity of the project in close collaboration with the Directorate of Crop Services of the MoFA. The EPA will assume overall responsibility for the effective delivery of required inputs in order to achieve the expected project outputs. At the national level, the EPA will receive guidance from a Project Steering Committee (PSC) chaired by MESTI and comprising representatives from the: i) MoFA; ii) MoF; iii) Forestry Commission; iv) Water Resources Commission; v) Ministry of Local Government; vi) Ministry of Land and Natural Resources; and vii) SADA. National implementing entities from Ghana currently seeking accreditation with the GCF, namely Social Investment Fund and EcoBank, may also be invited to observe PSC meetings. Additionally, the EPA will receive guidance from the National Climate Change Committee. At the regional level, the project will be implemented by the three regional EPA and Department of Agriculture offices located in Tamale (Northern Region), Bolgatanga (Upper East Region) and Wa (Upper West Region). Regional EPA and Department of Agriculture offices will receive implementation assistance from REMCs, and regional Technical Coordination Offices

103 (TCOs) will provide technical

backstopping. In each region, the EPA and Department of Agriculture will receive guidance from Local Steering Committees (LSCs) comprising the: i) Regional Coordinating Council; ii) Regional Planning Office; iii) Regional Director of Agriculture; iv) Regional Director of the EPA; v) District Coordinating Director; vi)


C. Financing / Cost Information

C.1. Description of financial elements of the project / programme

Funds are being requested by the GoG in the form of grants, given the “public good” nature of the proposed investments. Details on the need for grant financing are outlined in Section E. The proposed GCF project interventions are focused on climate change-vulnerable smallholder farmers and rural households in northern Ghana. GCF resources are required to enhance the climate-resilience of rural livelihoods, thereby enabling communities to adapt to climate change and attract further investment in the long-term. Innovative strategies and approaches will be used to overcome barriers that have previously inhibited the widespread and sustained uptake of agricultural development interventions in northern Ghana. Specifically, grant financing will overcome the finance barrier by injecting funds directly into innovative EbA interventions. Furthermore, the project will catalyse adaptation impacts beyond a once-off, site-specific project investment by incorporating sustainability, scalability, replicability and knowledge-sharing as core tenets in each step of project design and implementation. Rigorous knowledge generation and sharing will provide the information base required to leverage support and financing for future investments into climate-resilient EbA practices. Furthermore, village savings and loan groups will be established and financial management training delivered to project beneficiaries to encourage long-term financial sustainability.

The requested grant funds will be directed towards four interconnected outputs, each of which have been requested by the GoG to enable large-scale transformation of the agricultural sector in northern Ghana in response to current and future climate change conditions. The majority of GCF funding will be used to provide the inputs necessary for project implementation while all staffing costs will be borne by the executing entity. Project interventions will be targeted directly at the most vulnerable communities in northern Ghana to reduce their exposure to climate-induced hazards and build their adaptive capacity. A tentative breakdown of grant funds expenditure for each output is

District Directors of Agriculture; vii) Regional Fire Officers; viii) District Forest Officers; and ix) District Planning Officers. Additional members may be included in the LSCs if and when the need arises. In each target district, DEMCs and District Agriculture Offices will be responsible for on-the-ground project implementation and will coordinate closely with DAs. Extension officers will be the primary link between district government structures and beneficiary communities. In beneficiary communities, CCAGs will provide a link between community members and district-level government structures and will serve to coordinate community-level activities. Further details will be included in the Funding Proposal.


provided below.

Output 1: Strengthened institutional capacity to develop, promote, implement and monitor climate change adaptation programmes in the agricultural sector.

Total GCF grant: ~US$ 7 million

Output 2: Enhanced climate resilience of smallholder farmers in northern Ghana through the implementation of EbA interventions.

Total GCF grant: ~US$ 28 million

Output 3: Enhanced and diversified income generation of smallholder farming communities through: i) implementation of climate-resilient livelihoods and improved post-harvest produce management; ii) investment in hard, agro-based assets; and iii) strengthening of business and financial management expertise.

Total GCF grant: ~US$ 3.5 million

Output 4: Increased knowledge and awareness of climate change adaptation to inform the upscaling of adaptation programmes in Ghana.

Total GCF grant: ~US$ 5.5 million

Co-financing

The Government of Ghana is engaged in the process of securing co-financing and partner initiatives to align with the GFC funding.

C.2. Project financing information

Financial Instrument

Amount Currency Tenor Pricing

Total project financing

(a) = (b) + (c)

49 million

USD ($)

(b) Requested GCF amount

(i) Senior Loans

(ii) Subordinated Loans

(iii) Equity

(iv) Guarantees

(v) Reimbursable grants *

(vi) Grants *

…………………

…………………

…………………

…………………

…………………

44

Options

Options

Options

Options

Options

million USD ($)

( ) years

( ) years

( ) %

( ) %

( ) % IRR

* Please provide detailed economic and financial justification in the case of grants.

Total Requested (i+ii+iii+iv+v+vi)

44 million

USD ($)

(c) Co-financing

Financial Instrument

Amount Currency Name of

Institution Seniority

Grant

Options

Options

Options

5*

…………………

…………………

…………………

million USD ($)

Options

Options

Options

Government of Ghana

…………………

…………………

…………………

Options

Options

Options

Options

Lead financing institution: Government of Ghana


(d) Covenants

(e) Conditions precedent to disbursement

*current estimate / co-financing to be confirmed

D. Expected Performance against Investment Criteria

Please explain the potential of the Project/Programme to achieve the Fund’s six investment criteria as listed below.

D.1. Climate impact potential

[Potential to achieve the GCF's objectives and results]

The proposed GCF project will contribute to the Fund-level impacts of: i) increased resilience and enhanced livelihoods of the most vulnerable people, communities and regions; and ii) increased resilience of health and well-being, and food and water security. Through enhancements to climate resilience, the proposed GCF project will benefit directly 60,000 people across 120 communities across eight districts of Ghana’s three northern regions. Direct beneficiaries will receive support from the GCF project’s two on-the-ground implementation Outputs, namely Output 2 and 3. These direct beneficiaries represent ~9% of the total population of the eight target districts, ~2% of the population of northern Ghana and ~0.5% of Ghana’s total population. Approximately ~1,000,000 people will benefit indirectly from the project through activities (e.g. television and radio shows; field visits; online knowledge-sharing) and elements of project design (e.g. spatial planning that promotes autonomous upscaling) that promote upscaling and replication. Indirect beneficiaries will account for ~33% of northern Ghana’s smallholder farming population and ~6% of Ghana’s total population. The number of beneficiaries impacted directly and/or indirectly by specific project activities will be provided in the Funding Proposal.

D.2. Paradigm shift potential

[Potential to catalyze impact beyond a one-off project or programme investment]

Innovative techniques will be used to overcome barriers that have previously inhibited the widespread and sustained uptake of development project interventions in northern Ghana. The proposed GCF project will catalyse adaptation impacts beyond a once-off, site-specific project investment by incorporating sustainability, scalability, replicability, and knowledge-sharing as core tenets in each step of project design and implementation. Sustainability of interventions after the completion of the project will be achieved by applying a grassroots approach to building climate resilience. A rigorous community consultation process will be undertaken to ensure that project activities are needs-based, locally appropriate and supported by rural communities. Beneficiary communities will be capacitated to develop CCAPs that identify climate-related problems and potential solutions. Using an extensive and dynamic menu of EbA options (developed during project design), communities will then propose projects that meet their specific requirements. This practice will promote community buy-in, make effective use of traditional knowledge and contribute to the long-term sustainability of the project interventions. In addition to this grassroots approach, village savings and loans groups will be established and financial management training delivered to project beneficiaries to encourage long-term financial sustainability. Lastly, each beneficiary community will receive a minimum of three years of continual support. This would support behavioural transformation as farmers would be given sufficient time to learn about, and observe the benefits of, climate change adaptation solutions. The proposed GCF project will enable scaling up of adaptation impacts without equally increasing implementation costs by focusing on strategies that lead to both active and autonomous upscaling. Active upscaling will be achieved by collaborating with ongoing and future projects operating at the nexus of agricultural and rural development in northern Ghana. Specifically, collaborations will be initiated with projects implementing similar on-the-ground interventions to the proposed GCF project but that have omitted the climate change focus

104. This

will allow for climate-related knowledge transfer and, subsequently, the extension of project impacts beyond direct beneficiary communities without a proportional increase in the total costs of implementation. An additional avenue for active upscaling without equally inflated costs will be community-level knowledge-sharing events (e.g. radio shows, field visits) that will raise the

104

For example, the Sustainable Land and Water Management Project (SLWMP).


awareness of smallholder farmers to climate threats and adaptation solutions. Autonomous upscaling would be built in as a primary focus of the project. The proposed GCF project will capitalise on the tightknit structure of smallholder farming communities in northern Ghana to passively expand project interventions beyond the beneficiary communities

105. This will be

achieved by taking a novel and innovative approach to beneficiary selection which would involve optimising the spatial distribution of project interventions to improve the likelihood and extent of successful and independent upscaling. For example, implementing project interventions in communities with numerous nearby neighbours will increase the likelihood of adaptation solutions being spread and adopted beyond the beneficiary community. The training of Lead Farmers within each beneficiary community will also facilitate the effective dispersion of useful and reliable information on adaptation solutions to additional farming communities. Autonomous upscaling will be further realised through the development and distribution of: i) training programmes; ii) intervention methodologies; and iii) knowledge and awareness raising materials. The potential for replicating key structural elements of the proposed GCF project within the agricultural sector and other administrative regions of Ghana will be enhanced by: i) mainstreaming the project activities into government institutions such as the EPA and Directorate of Crop Services; ii) strengthening the capacity of government staff to develop, promote, implement and monitor climate change adaptation programmes in the agricultural sector; iii) contributing to regulatory frameworks and policies by integrating CCAPs into district development plans; and iv) creating and sharing knowledge regarding agro-based climate adaptation. The mainstreaming of project interventions and the strengthening of institutional capacity will create an enabling environment for the GoG to successfully replicate the proposed GCF project activities after the investment period. By introducing a focus on climate change adaptation into regulatory frameworks and policies (e.g. district-level development plans; community climate change action plans) and forming/revitalising additional regulatory bodies (e.g. regional, district and community environment management committees), the GoG will have the necessary experience and structures in place to replicate the proposed GCF project in additional communities, districts and regions of Ghana. A comprehensive monitoring and evaluation plan executed by national research institutions will result in the project generating novel information on climate change adaptation in the agro-based rural economy of northern Ghana. The Ghana Climate Change Data Hub (CCDH) will be upgraded and serve as the primary conduit for the knowledge generated during project implementation, allowing government staff and private citizens across Ghana to conveniently access information on replicable adaptation solutions. Rigorous monitoring and evaluation will also produce a robust evidence-base on effective adaptation solutions which could be used as a resource to leverage government and/or international funding to replicate the proposed GCF project activities. By explicitly considering sustainability, scalability, replicability, and knowledge-sharing in project design and implementation, the proposed GCF project will be well-positioned to effect a shift towards a climate-resilient agro-based rural economy in northern Ghana.

D.3. Sustainable development potential

[Potential to provide wider development co-benefits]

The proposed project will use GCF funding to contribute towards 11 out of 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)

106 in northern Ghana: 1) No Poverty; 2) Zero Hunger; 3) Good Health

and Well-being; 5) Gender Equality; 8) Decent Work and Economic Growth; 10) Reduced Inequalities; 11) Sustainable Cities and Communities; 12) Responsible Consumption and Production; 13) Climate Action; 15) Life on Land; and 17) Partnerships for the Goals. Within the abovementioned SDGs, the following co-benefits in northern Ghana are expected from project interventions. Environmental co-benefits

Reforestation through an EbA approach will be achieved through the planting of indigenous

tree species and natural regeneration107

in previously degraded areas. The reforested areas

will provide canopy cover, which will reduce soil erosion and capture runoff.

The natural habitats available as a result of reforestation will promote the reestablishment of

indigenous wildlife populations, thereby increasing local biodiversity.

Interventions focused on improving land management will ensure soil conservation and

reduce erosion, sedimentation and siltation.

105

Evidence from GEMP and SLWMP shows that project interventions can spread autonomously from beneficiary communities to their neighbours. 106

http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals/ 107

Natural regeneration will be accomplished by reducing slash-and-burn and indigenous tree harvesting activities.

http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals/


An overarching benefit, which all of the above would contribute to, is the restoration and

maintenance of ecosystem function. Consequently, the supply of ecosystem goods and

services will also be maintained.

Social co-benefits

The proposed project would benefit northern Ghana’s poorest people and least developed

regions. This will be particularly important in coming decades as the GoG to attain high-

income status, as well as be classified as a newly industrialised country, by reversing the

development divergence between the northern and southern regions of the country.

Forest restoration through EbA will yield considerable co-benefits for local communities such

as: i) providing NTFPs; ii) improving the dry-season flow of rivers; iii) increasing the refilling of

aquifers; and iv)reducing community exposure to climate-related environmental hazards.

These co-benefits will build the resilience of local communities to climate change while also

diversifying local livelihoods.

Economic co-benefits

The agricultural production of around 12,000~households in northern Ghana will be

enhanced, which will lead to increased income generation and growth of the agro-based rural

economy.

Approximately the same number of households will adopt additional and climate-resilient

alternative livelihood options to diversify and grow their income streams. Alternative livelihood

options will partly be provided by available NTFPs provided by the forests which have been

restored through EbA practices.

Basic business and financial training would allow beneficiaries to optimise their financial

resources.

Increased agricultural production resulting from the GCF project’s EbA interventions will lead

to surplusses, which can then be sold at local and regional markets. This will further improve

the income streams of rural households.

By strengthening the capacity for post-harvest storage and processing of agricultural

products, there will be a: i) decreased wastage and loss of agricultural produce; ii)

diversification in products that may be sold, which will include products that may be sold

nationally and internationally; and iii) decrease in food shortages as produce can be stored

for use during the dry season.

Even at current suboptimal levels of agricultural production, the agricultural sector accounted

for ~21% of Ghana’s GDP in 2015108

. Increases in agricultural productivity across a large

proportion of northern Ghanaian farms as a result of EbA interventions has the potential to

grow the country’s GDP considerably and contribute to economic development.

Gender-sensitive development impact Approximately 68% of women in rural Ghana are employed in the agricultural sector

109. However,

less than 20% of northern households are headed by women110

and, therefore, the role of women in farming decision-making is limited. This makes them particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change as they lack financial independence. It is generally recognised that the ability of women to adapt to climate change is dependent on their: i) involvement in policy development and decision-making; ii) integration into local committees which are focused on climate change adaptation; and iii) capacity to implement EbA practices

111. Furthermore, the actions that women

can take depend on the strength of their networks, particularly gender-focused climate change organisations. The proposed project will ensure that at least 50% of project beneficiaries are women. EbA interventions will focus on the empowerment of women, which is essential to them becoming

108

data.worldbank.org. 109

Ghana Statistical Service – 2014 – Ghana Living Standards Survey Round 6. 110

Ghana Statistical Service – 2014 – Ghana Living Standards Survey Round 6. 111

Gaye I. – 2009 – Gender and climate change: Women matter. UN Economic Commission for Africa.


climate-resilient. Shifts in gender roles and increases in women’s contributions to household incomes have been shown to lead to greater respect for and recognition of women in Ghana

112.

Women will be targeted specifically for the implementation of additional and climate-resilient livelihoods, which include value-addition activities. Such value-addition activities include the training of women in post-harvest processing and storage of produce, which will empower them and reduce post-harvest losses. Additionally, women and women’s groups will be included in business and financial management training

113.

Quantifiable indicators for the above will be presented in the Funding Proposal.

D.4. Needs of recipient

[Vulnerability to climate change and financing needs of the recipients]

The GoG is aware that many of the ~4 million people in the northern regions of Ghana are exceptionally vulnerable to climate change. The Climate Change Vulnerability (CCV) index

114

calculated in the Feasibility Study115

confirms the GoGs concerns and indicates that the Upper West Region (CCV=0.61) is the most vulnerable region in Ghana, followed by the Northern (CCV=0.26) and Upper East (CCV=0.26) Regions. This high vulnerability in the north is a result of several interacting factors. Firstly, northern Ghanaians are exposed to a climate that is harsher and changing at a greater rate than other areas of the country. Secondly, the majority of people in the north are heavily reliant on climate-sensitive livelihoods like smallholder farming. Lastly, northern Ghana lags the rest of the country in economic and social development which makes northern Ghanaians least adapted to climate change. The eight target districts of the proposed GCF project are among the most vulnerable to climate change in the country

116 and are home to

~700,000117

people. Furthermore, these districts have received limited support for climate change adaptation in the past. Beneficiary communities will be selected based partly on their comparative vulnerability to climate change

118.

As described in Section B.1., people in the eight target districts require adaptation interventions that disrupt the impact pathways linking climatic changes to agricultural productivity and, subsequently, food security and income generation. The below figure summarises the climate risks detailed in Section B.1.

112

Webb J. – 2015 – Gender dynamics in a changing climate: how gender and adaptive capacity affect resilience. Care Climate Change. 113

Where appropriate, special training with a focus on topics that promote the empowerment of women will be provided. 114

On a relative scale of -1 (low vulnerability) to 1 (high vulnerability). 115

Please see Annex 2 ‘Feasibility Study’ for details on the calculation of the Climate Change Vulnerability index. 116

Please see Annex I. 117

Approximately 18% of the total northern population. 118

Please see Section B.1. for a description of other criteria that will be used to select beneficiary communities.


The above figure from the Feasibility Study is a schematic representation of likely climate change impact pathways on smallholder farmers in northern Ghana. The direction of the arrows shows the direction of the causal pathway. The “–“ and “+” signs represent a potentially negative or positive change. Dashed lines show where a pathway intersects a component but does not influence that component. The schematic is an elaboration based on Obirih-Opareh and Onumah (2014)

119. The red X’s show points along impact pathways where the adaptation interventions

implemented through the proposed GCF project will reduce impacts of climate change on smallholder farmers. The GoG acknowledges the urgency of adapting to climate change in northern Ghana. For example, the Ghana National Climate Change Policy (NCCP) identifies agriculture and food security as one of the 10 prioritised programme areas. The programme area has a specific focus on developing climate-resilient agriculture and food systems. Additionally, Ghana’s Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) highlights agriculture and food security as a sector in need of adaptation actions. However, the GoG is unable currently to implement projects that transform the agricultural sector in northern Ghana without external assistance. This is because of limited financial resources

120 and technical capacity. Indeed, the GoG indicates that it can only

contribute ~6% of the funds required to implement the country’s INDCs121

and it is likely that most officers of District Assemblies are unaware of the responsibilities placed upon them by the NCCP

122

D.5. Country ownership

[Beneficiary country ownership of project or programme

The proposed project originates from consultations requested by the GoG and is fully country driven. This proposal was prioritised based on a transparent project prioritisation process led by the National Designated Authority in country. The Technical Advisory Committee reviewed proposal ideas from various ministries and proponents and selected one mitigation and one adaptation proposal for prioritisation. This proposal represents the combined efforts of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the Environmental Protection Agency. These entities have fully led the design and development of this proposal and were fully supported by the BMUB-

119

Obirih-Opareh N. & Onumah J.A. – 2014 – Climate change impact pathways on agricultural productivity in Africa: a review. Journal of Environment and Earth Science 4, 115–121. 120

Please see Section E for a rationale for GCF involvement. 121

Republic of Ghana – 2015 – Ghana’s intended nationally determined contribution (INDC) and accompanying explanatory note. 122

Overseas Development Institution – 2015 – Climate change finance in Ghana.


and capacity to implement the proposed activities]

funded UNEP/UNDP/WRI GCF readiness programme, who has encouraged the not yet accredited national institutions to serve as members of the steering committee to develop the understanding and capacities needed to implement future GCF projects in country. GoG recognises the current and future threats of climate change and has clearly prioritised adaptation in the country’s national development strategies, especially those relating to the agriculture sector. The proposed project’s EbA interventions align with: i) the Ghana National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy (NCCAS, 2012)

123; ii) the National Climate Change Policy

(NCCP, 2015–2020)124

; iii) the equitable social development sector; iv) sustainable forest management; and v) Ghana’s INDC

125. The INDC of Ghana commits the country to 11 adaptation

programmes of action in seven priority economic sectors, including sustainable land use and food security. All aspects of project conceptualization and design have involved rigorous stakeholder consultation

126. This includes two consultative missions to Ghana and reviews of all interventions,

activities and implementation arrangements by the relevant stakeholders – including the executing entity and NDA. Climate change adaptation programmes are executed by the EPA under MESTI. The EPA assumes overall responsibility for the effective delivery of required inputs to achieve the expected project outputs. A Project Steering Committee will guide the EPA at a national level – chaired by MESTI and comprising representatives from the: i) MoFA; ii) MoF; iii) Forestry Commission; iv) Water Resources Commission; v) Ministry of Local Government; vi) Ministry of Land and Natural Resources; and vii) SADA. Additionally, the EPA will receive guidance from the National Climate Change Committee. The EPA has a proven track record as an executing entity in Ghana, having been instrumental in the implementation of large-scale environmental programmes including inter alia GEMP and SLWMP.

D.6. Effectiveness and efficiency [Economic and financial soundness and effectiveness of the proposed activities]

A US$44 million grant from the GCF will be adequate to make the proposed GCF project viable. Previous experience suggests that a lesser grant would limit the scale of direct and indirect impacts of the project and would likely be insufficient to transform the agro-based rural economy of northern Ghana. Additionally, the seven-year duration of the project was chosen carefully based on experience from past projects. Local experts in northern Ghana consider seven years to be the minimum time required to effect a widespread and sustained behavioural change in smallholder farming communities. The GoG has committed US$5 million as co-financing for the proposed GCF project

127. More

details on co-financing will be communicated in the Funding Proposal. Details on economic and financial viability will be provided in the Funding Proposal. There is substantial evidence to suggest that the proposed GCF project’s design and activities are representative of best practices and show a high degree of innovation. Multiple consultations were undertaken with a variety of local experts to optimise design to achieve the project’s outputs. Additionally, a rigorous review of past and ongoing project/programmes was conducted to identify the best available technologies and practices for enhancing climate resilience in northern Ghana

128.

Lessons learned from other projects are listed below.

SLWMP provided a sub-project facility where local communities identified problems and implemented appropriate solutions, which ensured that project activities were needs-based, locally appropriate and supported by rural communities. Apart from encouraging community buy-in, this practice effectively includes and uses traditional knowledge, and contributes the

123

UN Environment and UNDP – 2012 – National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy. CC DARE 124

Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology (MEST), Republic of Ghana. 2014. Ghana National Climate Change Policy. Available at: https://s3.amazonaws.com/ndpc-static/CACHES/NEWS/2015/07/22//Ghana+Climate+Change+Policy.pdf. 125

Government of Ghana – 2015 – Ghana’s intended nationally determined contribution (INDC) and accompanying explanatory note. UNFCCC. Available at: http://www4.unfccc.int/ndcregistry/PublishedDocuments/Ghana%20First/GH_INDC_2392015.pdf. 126

Please see section G. ‘Multi-Stakeholder Engagement’ for more information on stakeholder consultations. 127

To be confirmed 128

Please see Annex 2. ‘Feasibility Study’ for more information on project reviews, best practices and lessons learned.

https://s3.amazonaws.com/ndpc-static/CACHES/NEWS/2015/07/22/Ghana+Climate+Change+Policy.pdf

https://s3.amazonaws.com/ndpc-static/CACHES/NEWS/2015/07/22/Ghana+Climate+Change+Policy.pdf

http://www4.unfccc.int/ndcregistry/PublishedDocuments/Ghana%20First/GH_INDC_2392015.pdf


long-term sustainability of project interventions.

Needs-based activities were promoted by AAP through the formation of regional, district and community environmental management committees, which improved stakeholder engagement and sustainable implementation. Furthermore, this best practice facilitated the integration of long-term climate change plans into the plans of regional coordinating councils and district development plans to provide a coherent and integrated approach to adaptation projects.

The inclusion of women in the planning and implementation of interventions by CARE ALP not only enhanced their climate resilience but also lead to an increase in respect and recognition of their contributions to their communities. Additionally, the input and involvement of women in the planning of post-harvest processing is imperative as the majority of this work is already performed by women.

The importance of knowledge sharing and training sessions between beneficiary and neighbouring communities, which was endorsed by initiatives including CHANGE – via inter alia meetings, radio programmes and demonstration plots, should not be underestimated. This enhanced the autonomous uptake and promoted the local ownership of interventions beyond the intra-village/-community level.

Upscaling of initiatives – including CARE ALP and WACDEP – was encouraged by the integration of EbA, although limited, into land management and climate change interventions. Where EbA was implemented, the resulting climate resilience of communities resulted in its continued use locally and its uptake by neighbouring communities. The upscaling of EbA interventions in northern Ghana relies on them being relevant to locally appropriate farming systems and contexts.

E. Brief Rationale for GCF Involvement and Exit Strategy

Given the current economic situation in Ghana, the contribution of funds by the GCF is critical for the successful implementation of the proposed GCF project. Without investment into EbA interventions, the livelihoods of the ~75% of the population of northern Ghana that are reliant on smallholder farms are at risk to the threats of climate change. The agricultural sector in Ghana is already largely reliant on foreign funding, with ~65% of total public expenditure in support of food and agriculture funded by external sources including inter alia the World Bank, USAID and the European Union

129. The need for external funding is compounded by the current state of the Ghanaian economy. Despite a period

of rapid economic growth over the last two decades graduating Ghana to lower middle-income status, the country’s economy has seen a decline in growth over the past five years

130. Increasing debt, high inflation and currency

depreciation have contributed to the deterioration of the economy, leading to a current account deficit of -7.5%131

and a debt-to-GDP ratio of 73.9%

132. Further challenges to Ghana’s economic outlook include high domestic financing costs,

technical problems in the oil and gas sectors, energy problems related to state-owned enterprises and continued weak commodity prices

133. These factors result in an unfavourable fiscal climate for Ghanaian government to secure loan

financing for large-scale investments into innovative climate change adaptation measures, including EbA. Northern Ghana is particularly at risk because of the substantial development gap between the north and the south of the country. This has largely isolated northern Ghana from the socio-economic development that has been prevalent in the south. As a result, there has been financial instability and a rise in poverty in the north

134. This problem is

exacerbated by the lack of potential returns for private investments into EbA in northern Ghana given the public good nature of the investments and considering that most of the beneficiaries would be vulnerable smallholder farmers. Consequently, northern Ghana has limited access to the financial resources necessary for the adoption of appropriate climate-resilient practices to adapt to climate change. The sustainable development of northern Ghana’s agricultural sector, therefore, requires substantial investment into EbA to build the climate-resilience of vulnerable farming communities. Given the low economic rate of return which prevents cost recovery on such investments, grant funding is necessary.

129

FAO. 2014. Analysis of Public Expenditure in Support of the Food and Agriculture Sector in Ghana, 2006-2012: A preliminary assessment. Technical notes series, MAFAP, by Ghins, L., Rome. 130

IMF Survey – 2016 – Ghana: The Bumpy Road to Economic Recovery. Available at: www.imf.org/. 131

World Bank – 2015 – Current account balance (% of GDP). Available at: http://data.worldbank.org/. 132

http://www.tradingeconomics.com/ghana/government-debt-to-gdp 133

World Bank – 2017 – Ghana Country Overview. Available at: http://www.worldbank.org/en/country/ghana/overview. 134

Ashaley-Nikoi J – 2013 – Bridging the Ghanaian Development Divide – Geographical Dual Economy of Ghana. University of Ghana Legon, Facalty of Social Sciences. Available at: http://www.egn.org.gh/categories/developmental-economics/51-bridging-the-ghanaian-development-divide.

http://www.imf.org/

http://data.worldbank.org/

http://www.tradingeconomics.com/ghana/government-debt-to-gdp

http://www.worldbank.org/en/country/ghana/overview

http://www.egn.org.gh/categories/developmental-economics/51-bridging-the-ghanaian-development-divide


The proposed GCF project incorporates several design features that will ensure the sustainability of activities following project termination. Firstly, the project is a nationally driven effort and is fully aligned with national strategies, policies, plans and investment pipelines. Secondly, project management and implementation will be mainstreamed into existing government and community structures at the national, regional, district and local levels. The majority of GCF funding will be used to provide the inputs necessary for project implementation, while all staffing costs will be borne by the executing entity. Perhaps most importantly, the project will address the significant barrier to lasting success of previous programmes – taking the intervention to scale. This project will be able to vastly increase the coverage area and strengthen of its interventions as compared to existing interventions. It will build out into gap areas currently uninvolved with existing projects to ensure that pockets of vulnerability to do destabilize resilience gains for the region, rather the project will fill existing gaps at a large scale strengthening and solidifying resilience in the three most vulnerable regions in Ghana. Lastly, Output 1 is solely focused on strengthening institutional capacity to develop, promote, implement and monitor climate change adaptation programmes in the agricultural sector. The above will create an enabling environment within which the activities of the proposed GCF project can endure beyond the implementation period. The project has also been designed to promote the sustainability of on-the-ground project interventions. A grassroots approach to building climate resilience will ensure that activities are needs-based, locally appropriate and supported by local communities. This approach will promote community buy-in and make effective use of indigenous knowledge. Additionally, by provided support to beneficiary communities for at least three consecutive years, the project is more likely to transform agricultural behaviours. Village savings and loans associations, as well as business and financial management training, will also encourage long-term financial sustainability, allowing beneficiaries to continue implementing project interventions after the support phase. A comprehensive M&E plan to promote knowledge generation, coupled with an effective knowledge-sharing system, will be used as a resource to leverage additional resources from government, private companies and/or international funders to maintain and replicate project interventions after the funding period.

F. Risk Analysis

Selected Risk Factor 1

Description Risk category Level of impact Probability of risk occurring

Where there is ambiguity in land tenure arrangements, the sustainability of project interventions may be compromised. When land-use rights are not clearly defined, disputes between tenants and landowners often arise, leading to the insecurity of tenure. Such tentative and changing terms for land tenure lead to uncertainty and therefore shorter-term planning for development. Additionally, given this uncertainty, many farmers seek alternative livelihoods, thereby limiting the long-term sustainability of adaptation initiatives.

Social and environmental

Medium (5.1-20% of project value)

Medium

Mitigation Measure(s)

This risk will be managed through a participatory approach to planning and implementation of proposed project

activities. Close engagement with local communities, GoG entities and traditional authorities in project execution will

be a priority, while local officials’ knowledge and experience on dealing with Ghana’s land tenure situation will be

invaluable. Engagement with land owners will be a priority, so that land owners are made aware of the benefits of

the proposed EbA interventions and the resulting climate-resilience.



Low community demand to implement or sustain project technologies. If the benefits of interventions are not locally relevant or the long-term benefits are not adequately explained to beneficiaries, communities may revert to previously used unsustainable agricultural methods.


High (>20% of project value)

Low



Attention will be given to locally relevant benefits in the selection of activities, which will encourage community buy-in. The CCAPs (please see Activity 2.2) will ensure community participation and allow the selection of the most locally appropriate interventions from the EbA menu. Such a participatory approach to planning and implementation will build local awareness on EbA and generate an interest in project interventions. The autonomous upscaling of proposed project interventions will be promoted through carefully planned site selection and the facilitation of inter-community meetings. Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of project interventions will be implemented, which will allow for the adaptive management of interventions. Such adaptive management will ensure the long-term sustainability of proposed project interventions and promote their viability.



Local communities revert to unsustainable harvesting and farming practices after the project. In particular, trees planted during forest restoration may be cut down for fuelwood or to make way for new fields.



Medium


This risk will be mitigated in part by awareness raising campaigns in local communities about the specific economic benefits that restored forest ecosystems provide. In addition, forests will be restored with tree species that provide greater economic returns to local communities than the sale of fuelwood. Fast-growing, climate-resilient species that provide valuable NTFPs will be included in plantings to demonstrate the benefits of reforestation to communities before the end of the project.



Lack of interest/demand amongst authorities and

potential ecosystem goods and services buyers to

support activities beyond the project period. This

includes the risk that the increased supply of

agricultural products and NTFPs will exceed local

demand.

Technical and operational


Medium


Market assessments for all agricultural products and ecosystem goods that will be produced through project interventions will be conducted. These assessments will determine the long-term viability of products in terms of supply and demand. This will include engaging with authorities involved in the regulation of markets as well as potential buyers to promote products and to gather further information on markets. The demand for more ecosystem goods and services is likely to be stimulated over time as the supply increases, and as communities become more reliant on them. Additionally, the post-harvest storage and processing of these products will be prioritised, which will allow for the storage of products over a longer period – specifically when there is a greater supply than demand – and a diversification of end-products. These end products can then be sold to various markets – local, national and international.



The staff at the implementing agencies may not fully

understand their responsibilities under the proposed

project leading to delays in implementation.

Technical and operational

Medium (5.1-20% of project value)

Medium



Implementing agency staff and extension officers will be trained on climate change and EbA by the relevant GoG

departments (please see Activities 1.2 and 1.3).



Ineffective use of public funds. Systemic weaknesses

in financial management (FM) capacity and

ineffective use of public funds as a result of

inadequate oversight and supervisory arrangements

on: i) transparency; ii) accountability; and iii) possible

noncompliance with guidelines.

Financial Medium (5.1-20% of project value)

Medium


EPA has a functioning Internal Audit Unit to help minimise such a risk. The GoG financial regulations and manuals

are adequate for operational control. These manuals document clearly the approval and authorization hierarchies

applicable for processing financial transactions. An external audit will be conducted, and combined UN Environment

supervision will be provided throughout the life of the project. In addition, the following FM measures will be

implemented: i) improve the understanding of project staff on UN Environment FM processes and procedures, it is

recommended that Financial Management training should be organized by the project; ii) the project should consider

preparing an accounting manual that clearly defines the policies and procedures to ensure consistency in financial

operations and reporting; and iii) periodic Value for Money Audits on the beneficiary agencies are to be conducted

by the Internal Audit of EPA to ensure that project objectives are achieved. Adequate training and supervision

should also be provided.



Weakness in the procurement management capacity

at EPA, including: i) lack of proficiency for the

management of complex procurement; ii) delays in

the processing and submitting of procurement

documents; iii) limited experience and familiarity with

UN Environment procurement guidelines and

procedures; and iv) lack of adequate procurement

staffing at EPA.

Financial Medium (5.1-20% of project value)

Low


The EPA will draw on their experience gained from implementing similar projects including GEMP and SLWMP,

which will aid in mitigating this risk. Furthermore, the following measures will be put in place to mitigate procurement

risk: i) EPA will appoint an experienced project procurement officer to oversee activities and develop in-house

capacity throughout project implementation; ii) capacity will be built within EPA for procurement management in line

with national procurement law; iii) regular updates of the procurement plan until project closure, with copies sent to

the GCF and UN Environment for review; and iv) EPA will ensure the prompt submission of procurement

documents.

G. Multi-Stakeholder Engagement

The development of the proposed GCF project has been driven by relevant ministries, departments and agencies of the GoG. During the concept design phase, the GoG undertook an exercise in early 2016 to compare NCCP and GCF priority areas and prioritise appropriate projects for GCF funding. The proposed GCF project is one such project. In September 2016, extensive field visits and consultations were undertaken to support project development. These consultations included meetings with: i) national and regional EPA offices; ii) members of the NDA TAC; iii) MESTI; iv) MoFA; v) the NDA; vi) District Agricultural Officers in northern Ghana; vii) NGOs; viii) representatives of the GCF Readiness Program; and ix) vulnerable communities in northern Ghana. Further consultations with similar stakeholders were conducted in March 2017. As described in Sections B.1. and D.6., a wide variety of local stakeholders have been


involved in designing the project. Rigorous national, regional, district and community consultations will be conducted to select beneficiary communities. In May 2017, a second round of stakeholder consultations – over 3 weeks – took place in the proposed sites at the regional, district and community levels. The reports of this engagement will be available in the full proposal. The implementation arrangements of the project (please see Section B.5.) ensure that relevant stakeholders will continue to be engaged during project implementation. Special provision has been made to create formal structures that promote continued engagement, including: i) the PSC; ii) REMCs; iii) TCOs; iv) LSC; v) DEMCs; and vi) CCAGs.

H. Status of Project/Programme

1) A pre-feasibility study is expected to be completed at this stage. Please provide the report in section J.

2) Please indicate whether a feasibility study and/or environmental and social impact assessment has been

conducted for the proposed project/programme: Yes ☒ No ☐ (If ‘Yes’, please provide them in section J.)

3) Will the proposed project/programme be developed as an extension of a previous project (e.g. subsequent phase),

or based on a previous project/programme (e.g. scale up or replication)? Yes ☐ No ☒ (If yes, please provide an evaluation report of the previous project in section J, if available.)

I. Remarks

NA

J. Supporting Documents for Concept Note

☒ Map indicating the location of the project/programme

☐ Financial Model

☒ Pre-feasibility Study

☐ Feasibility Study (if applicable)

☒ Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (if applicable)

☐ Evaluation Report (if applicable)


Annex I. Maps indicating the location of the proposed GCF project.

Administrative map of Ghana. Region names are underlined.


Low CCV

High CCV

Map indicating the relative climate change vulnerability (CCV) of districts in northern Ghana. The target districts of the proposed GCF project are labelled.