Under the African Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP), the Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) is supporting the Government of The Gambia and international financial institutions in embedding climate resilience into national planning and strategic infrastructure investments. This collaboration contributes to major ongoing initiatives, including the World Bank–supported Gambia Infrastructure Project and African Development Bank investments in port and transport infrastructure.

Since 2024, GCA has worked in close partnership with national institutions — including the Ministry of Transport, Works and Infrastructure, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, NAWEC, the Department of Water Resources, and the National Roads Authority — to assess climate risks, identify priority adaptation solutions, and strengthen local technical capacity. These efforts support a broader investment program of approximately US$50 million aimed at improving last-mile electricity access in rural communities, enhancing urban grid resilience, and upgrading critical transport corridors to ensure reliable year-round connectivity.

GCA is sharing key insights from this work through three Country Briefs and three Technical Reports that provide targeted, investment-oriented guidance on strengthening climate resilience across key infrastructure systems in The Gambia.

The Water Resources Climate Risk Assessment for The Gambia Technical Report analyses current and future pressures on freshwater availability and quality, identifying priority climate risks and adaptation options for the sector. The assessment shows that saltwater intrusion, groundwater depletion, and rising demand driven by population and industrial growth are key challenges, particularly in the Greater Banjul Area and along the Gambia River. While domestic water needs are expected to remain largely sustainable in the near term, increasing abstraction risks undermining ecosystems, reducing river baseflows, and intensifying competition across sectors. The objective of the report is to support policy reform and investment planning by highlighting climate risk hotspots and recommending integrated measures — such as water-saving technologies, managed aquifer recharge, and wetland restoration — to strengthen long-term water security and resilience.
 
This is part of a series of publications aiming to provide the evidence base for decision-making to embed climate resilience in The Gambia, including:

Country Briefs: Adaptation and Resilience Options for the Transport Sector of The Gambia, Adaptation and Resilience Options for the Water Sector of The Gambia, and Adaptation and Resilience Options for the Inland Water Transport Sector of The Gambia.

Technical Reports:  the Climate Hazard Assessment, the Climate Risk Assessment for Water Resources, and the Climate Risk Assessment for the Transport Sector for The Gambia.