The OSS conducts the first supervision mission for the ADSWAC project, Leg1: Angola, March 2023

The border between southern Angola in Cuando Cubango and northern Namibia in Okavango/Kavango constitutes a transboundary corridor that is dominated by the hyper-arid, arid and semi-arid drylands depending on the amount of annual rainfall and temperature. This area faces increasing drought due to high temperatures and rainfall variability. The population of the region undergoes the impacts of climate change, in form of prolonged dry spells and drought conditions that are not about to improve if no action is undertaken to build their climate resilience and adaptation. Small-scale farmers and pastoralists are most vulnerable due to their limited capacities and mechanisms to cope with these phenomena. Therefore, deliberate efforts aimed at enhancing their resilience and the ecosystems to facilitate their adaptation to the impacts of droughts (and floods), are needed. 

In the framework of the “Resilience Building as Climate Change Adaptation in Drought-Struck South-Western African Communities” - ADSWAC Project executed in the border area between Angola and Namibia, an OSS delegation led by Mr. Steve MUHANJI, Chief of mission, is conducting the first supervision mission in Angola and works with the ADPP representatives and ADSWAC Regional and National Coordinators.

As part of the mission, the members of the delegation also undertook field visits to the municipalities of Menongue and Calai to identify the project intervention sites such as the Climate Change Adaptation Centres, sat with the local communities and conducted the Knowledge Attitude and Practices (KAP) survey. They also met with the government officials and authorities in the relevant areas in order to establish an inclusive approach. The team also had the opportunity to identify actions related to fish landing sites which is a key deliverable related to income generating activities and that will provide for improved and sustainable livelihoods for the beneficiary communities with a strong gender representativeness. 

The second and final leg of the supervision mission will be conducted in Namibia until March 30, 2023.

The ADSWAC project intends to build the adaptation capacities to climate change risks and variability in the agriculture and water sectors, improve productivity, promote livelihood diversification and increase income of the 10,000 smallholder farmers' households and reduce their exposure to the impacts of drought and prolonged dry spells.