GCA to Integrate Adaptation into Borana Resilient Water Development Program
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otterdam, the Netherlands, 28 February 2024 – The Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) announced today the launch of the Borana Resilient Water Development for Improved Livelihoods Program in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia. Implemented in partnership with the African Development Bank (AfDB) through the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program (AAAP), the initiative mainstreams climate adaptation and resilience into the first two phases of this transformative water and sanitation program.
The Borana Resilient Water Development for Improved Livelihoods Program provides climate-resilient and gender-sensitive water and sanitation services to pastoralist communities in the Borana Zone. With more than 50% of the zone’s grazing land already degraded, the initiative focuses on supplying reliable water while restoring ecosystems and strengthening local economies. The first phase of the project aims to reach 309,000 Ethiopians—50% of whom are women—and 1 million livestock, thereby improving health, nutrition, and food security. By supporting Ethiopia’s Water Resources Development plan, the program aims to increase the share of rural residents who have access to 25 liters of water per person per day, from 55% to 100% by 2030. It also aligns with the Oromia Regional Development Plan, where water is recognized as an essential catalyst for food security, job creation, import substitution, and agricultural exports.
Under the AAAP umbrella, GCA offers a comprehensive range of services to strengthen the program’s climate resilience and inclusivity. Through a climate risk assessment, GCA will identify hotspots and risks, ensuring water infrastructure and watershed management approaches remain robust and adaptive. GCA will also conduct a gender climate vulnerability assessment to address the unique challenges women face in accessing water, thus outlining practical strategies to close gender gaps in both access and management. In addition, GCA will support the program’s long-term viability by helping secure additional financing through the AfDB’s Climate Action Window (CAW).
“With Ethiopia confronting increasingly frequent droughts and declining seasonal rainfall, we know that resilient water systems are vital for people’s livelihoods and for the country’s economic growth,” says Professor Dr. Patrick V. Verkooijen, CEO of the Global Center on Adaptation. “Our assistance under the Africa Adaptation Acceleration Program ensures that climate risks and gender disparities remain front and center as we invest in the Borana region’s future.”
The Borana Resilient Water Development for Improved Livelihoods Program consists of two main components. The first delivers climate-resilient water infrastructure through groundwater development in the Gelchet wellfield, alongside the construction of water supply routes, water storage, and livestock watering facilities. The second focuses on integrated watershed management and institutional strengthening, including community-led soil and water conservation measures and capacity-building activities to sustain its long-term impact. This structure boosts socio-economic development by providing enhanced water access, reducing vulnerability to climate shocks, and supporting agriculture and livestock rearing. Women and marginalized groups gain equitable water access, along with a greater role in decision-making around resource management. The program also mobilizes additional financing to ensure that adaptation actions remain effective through 2028 and beyond.
GCA will collaborate with local communities, government agencies, and international partners to ensure the initiative’s success. Early stakeholder engagement and climate-focused technical will help pave the way for a sustainable, climate-resilient water infrastructure model that can be replicated in other drought-prone regions across Ethiopia and Africa.
