Climate Change Vulnerability and Adaptive Capacity in Dakoro Department, Niger

Locally Led Adaptation & Resilience

Disaster Risk & Humanitarian Action

In the Department of Dakoro in Niger, women and men are accustomed to the harsh and dry Sahelian climate. In a remote area, with difficult access to information and services, these communities have developed a range of strategies for managing climate variability. However, in recent years, they have experienced recurrent droughts, which have overwhelmed their existing coping mechanisms and reduced them to a state of chronic food insecurity. Climate change projections suggest that this trend of uncertainty and extremes will continue, requiring people to build their resilience and adapt to the changes.

The Adaptation Learning Program for Africa (ALP) is working to increase the capacity of vulnerable households to adapt to climate change and variability. As part of its community-based adaptation process, ALP conducted participatory analysis on climate change vulnerability and adaptive capacity in 20 communities in Dakoro in 2010. Drawing on this analysis, this document discusses the impacts of climate change on communities in Dakoro, as well as how they are responding. Detailed profiles of two communities, Maiwassa and Dan Ijaw, provide further insights into the vulnerability and adaptive capacity that exists in this very poor region of the country.