West & East Africa

In the face of climate change, sub-Saharan Africa has to cope with diverse challenges. A fast growing population, increasing demand for resources and arising conflicts need to be managed in a sustainable way guided through the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Especially food, water and energy security are crucial for a resilient development pathway.

Our Work in the Region

Seasonal forecasts and climate change scenarios help to assess the impacts on the water, energy and agricultural sector on a national and community level. This capacity building outlines the ground for assessing climate risks on water resources and agricultural production and helps understanding climate induced migration patterns for a higher resilience towards regional climate variability.

The provision and access to affordable and renewable energy, e. g. hydropower, in sub-Saharan African countries is pivotal for sustainable development in the near future. A growing demand for electricity and the plans to reduce GHG emissions call for smart planning and climate resilient development concerning energy production and distribution infrastructure.  

Another pillar to strengthen food security in the region is the assessment of adaptation options in the agricultural sector through assessing crop production scenarios under climate change. From this potential adaptation strategies are developed, like insurance options for farmers and improvement of agronomic management, in close collaboration with stakeholders. To translate climate policy goals into actions, science-based adaptation planning can contribute by climate risk analyses and assessment of potential adaptation strategies. In order to guarantee food security various forms of food production need to coexist. Nomadic livestock herding can cause tension regarding land use rights. The prevention of farmer herder conflicts is one aspect of our work.

Selected Ongoing Projects

  • AfriValue Recommendations to avoid climate change-related effects in East African coffee; funded by BMZ; 01.12.2022-31.12.2026; contact: S. von Loeben, C. Gornott
  • Agrica_Ethiopia Strengthening climate-resilient land and natural resource management in Ethiopia; funded by GIZ; 01.04.2023-31.03.2024; contact: L. Murken
  • AGRICA_Madagaskar Climate risk analyses for adaptation planning in Madagascar; funded by GIZ; 01.12.2021-30.06.2025; contact: L. Murken
  • AGRICA_Rwanda Climate projections for climate risk analysis in Rwanda; funded by GIZ; 01.11.2023-30.09.2025; contact: C. Gornott, L. Murken
  • Agrica_Sahel Climate risk analyses for adaptation planning in sub-Saharan Africa; funded by BMZ; 01.01.2021-31.12.2023; contact: C. Gornott
  • AgrImpact Evaluating the impact of agroecological practices on farm system resilience in Madagascar; funded by BMZ; 01.04.2023-30.09.2025; contact: L. Murken
  • CCH CP2_2 - RD2 Climate Change and Health in Sub-Saharan Africa - CP2. Provision of climate and bio-physical forcing data for health impact projections; funded by DFG; 01.07.2023-30.06.2026; contact: F. Hattermann
  • CCH PI3 Climate Change and Health in Sub-Saharan Africa - PI_3 Weather-related impacts on crop yields and food production; funded by DFG; 01.06.2021-31.05.2024; contact: H. Lotze-Campen, C. Gornott
  • CCH PI3_2 Climate Change and Health in Sub-Saharan Africa - PI_3 Weather-related impacts on crop yields and food production; funded by DFG; 2024-2027; contact: C. Gornott
  • DecLaRe Decision support for strengthening land resilience in the face of global challenges; funded by BMBF DLR; 01.11.2022-31.10.2026; contact: C. Gornott
  • DFG_prenatal  How do prenatal and postnatal circumstances interact in shaping health? An interdisciplinary approach using quasi-experiments; funded by DFG; 14.03.2022-13.03.2025; contact: S. Gabrysch
  • IKI Kenya Applying the Water-Energy-Food Nexus to promote Ecosystem Based Ad-aptation in the Ewaso Ng’iro North River Catchment, Kenya; funded by BMU; 01.01.2022-31.12.2024; contact: S. Liersch
  • Nu-Tree Integrating nutrition and health into agroforestry projects of GIZ and NGOs in sub-Saharan Africa: a feasibility study; funded by DBU; 01.04.2022–31.03.2024; contact: S. Gabrysch
  • PACO Implementing regional and national adaptation priorities in Central and West Africa; funded by GIZ; 01.11.2023-31.10.2027; contact: C. Gornott
  • SAFE4ALL Safeguarding African Foodsheds and Ecosystems for all Actors across Local Levels; funded by EU HEU; 01.01.2024-31.12.2027; contact: R. Laudien
  • SCARF Scaling agroforestry for holistic climate resilience-building in rural Tanzania ; funded by BMU; 01.12.2022-30.11.2025; contact: C. Gornott

Selected Finished Projects

  • Agrica_21 Support of the AGRICA-project in Sub-Saharan Africa by implementing additional measures; funded by GIZ; 01.10.2021-31.08.2023; contact: L. Murken
  • B-EPICC-RD2 Klimakapazitätsvorsorge: Risikovorhersage und -Minimierung funded by BMUB; 01.01.2022-31.12.2023; contact: F. Hattermann, C. Gornott
  • CCH CP2 Climate Change and Health in Sub-Saharan Africa - CP2. Provision of climate and bio-physical forcing data for health impact projections; funded by DFG; 01.01.2020-30.04.2023; contact: K. Frieler,  F. Hattermann
  • FSEC-RD2 Food System Economics Commission; funded by EAT Foundation; 01.11.2020-30.06.2023; contact: H. Lotze-Campen
  • MECCA Targeting Mental Models of Climate Change Risk to facilitate Climate Action; funded by BMBF, PT DLR; 01.09.2019-31.05.2023; contact: S. Liersch

Involved Working Groups (alphabetical order)