Experience in Guinea demonstrates the huge potential of using the graduation approach in a range of contexts where communities are forced to relocate, whether that’s due to infrastructure projects or the impacts of climate change.

Sylvia Kuria, an organic farmer from Kiambu County in Kenya, is catalyzing a local movement for farmers to embrace agroecological methods, with minimal chemicals and more efficient water management, to tackle erratic rainfall patterns and water scarcity in the region.

2023 Local Adaptation Champions Award Winner

In Oaxaca, Mexico, Espacio de Encuentro de las Culturas Originarias, A.C. focuses on adaptation to climate change at the local level in highly vulnerable communities. Communities are benefiting from affordable, relevant, and innovative ecotechnologies that make them better able to adapt to extreme weather events.

2023 Local Adaptation Champions Award Winner

In northern Tanzania, the Pastoral Women’s Council (PWC) enhances indigenous pastoralist women’s leadership capabilities to build women’s capacity to achieve equality as decision-makers in pastoralist societies.

2023 Local Adaptation Champions Award Winner

In Bangladesh, the Local Government Initiative on Climate Change (LoGIC) is enhancing communities’ ability to plan and finance local adaptation actions that suit their needs and contexts. Through this project, Local Government Division, Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-Operatives, Government of Bangladesh provides a mechanism for accessing and managing climate finance from various sources, a platform for sharing best practices and lessons learned, and a system for monitoring and evaluating effectiveness and impact.

2023 Local Adaptation Champions Award Winner

In India, Aumsat Technologies LLP has innovatively harnessed satellite-based radar analytics to address the pressing issue of water scarcity exacerbated by climate change.

The Drip Pool Irrigation Program initiated by the Aga Khan Rural Support Programme – India (AKRSP-I), is a locally led initiative developed by and for farmers, to help them mitigate climate risks and enhance agricultural productivity. By combining technology, finance, and community collaboration, the program has enabled small and marginal cotton farmers in the Surendranagar, Rajkot, and Morbi districts to adopt drip irrigation and build resilient farmer institutions.

In 2002, Irene Walimbwa, a local advocate and champion of women and youth empowerment from the Mount Elgon Community in Uganda, mobilized a group of vulnerable women and young farmers to start a savings association for small business support. Early successes focused on livestock husbandry, but this work soon led to the idea of starting a company to process bamboo products to ease these local tensions and advance sustainable development in the Mount Elgon region.

The Inga Foundation supports communities living in the Cuero and the Cangrejal River Valleys of Honduras with application and expanded use of the Inga Alley Cropping method. The method has emerged as an effective alternative to slash-and-burn agriculture; and as a way of addressing rural poverty and creating rural wealth through a rejuvenated, agroforestry-based ecosystem.

The Songtaaba Association from Ouagadogou, Burkina Faso, is a local collective comprised mainly of women. Fed up with the fast-growing piles of garbage where they live, members of the association decided to take matters into their own hands and started an initiative to reclaim garbage from the streets and convert it into sustainable products for local markets. By doing so, they have also created stable jobs for those most in need.

In 2023, with BBC Media Action, we took a more targeted approach to train and mentor 24 young people from selected climate vulnerable districts of Bangladesh with an additional objective to create employment opportunities related to communicating LLA. 

Rising sea level due to climate change has increased the salinity level in water and soil in the south-western coastal areas of Bangladesh. Large scale shrimp farming and improper use of sluice gates have further intensified the situation. As a result, agriculture has become almost impossible in these areas. This has forced people to shift to shrimp farming. To cope with the situation, people in Bagerhat are practicing integrated farming by growing vegetable on raised beds over the shrimp enclosures.

Beyarapara, a coastal village situated in Pilganj Union of Fakirahat Upazila has been experiencing increased rainfall in recent years. Due to excessive rainfall, majority of the land in this village remains waterlogged throughout the year, rendering it unsuitable for cultivation. To address this problem, local farmers have set up floating farms for growing their crops. Alauddin Islam is one such farmer, who has received training from the local agricultural extension office on how to cultivate using this method. He is hopeful that this cropping practice will bring positive rewards for him and other farmers in the area.

Aklima Begum, a homemaker from Sharankhola, participated in a training program arranged by the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society, where she acquired knowledge about poultry farming and livestock rearing. Inspired by this newfound understanding, she invested in three goats as an alternative livelihood option, especially during periods of flood when conventional farming becomes challenging. The initial three goats have now multiplied to fifteen, and Aklima’s quality of life has significantly improved. She aspires to expand her venture further and nurtures the dream of establishing a large animal farm one day.

People living in Sharankhola, situated right next to the Sundarbans in Bagerhat district, grapple with cyclones and recurrent flooding caused by tidal surges. Cyclone Sidr, that took place in 2007, devastated the lives and livelihoods of many people in the area. But this has also made them understand the importance of early warning and disaster preparedness. They are well prepared to survive any cyclone now.

Families in Char Juwar Satra of Ulipur, Kurigram are constructing climate resilient housing (a two storied tin-shed structure, locally known as "Khudibari") to prevent inundation during floods. A local NGO called 'Face Bangladesh Foundation' has trained the local people and provided financial resources to source local materials and construct "Khudibaris". During floods, the ground floor is used for keeping cattle while the family members take shelter on the first floor. So far 15 families in this Char have built "Khudibari" for themselves.

Unpredictable rainfall patterns, flash floods along with incidence of drought conditions due to climate change, are adversely affecting farmers and fisherfolk in the northern district of Kurigram. To address the issue, locals, with support from the Bangladesh Water Development Board have started reclamation and rehabilitation of abandoned canals in the area. Fisherfolk now have new spaces for cultivating fish, while farmers are growing seasonal crops along the banks and using the water to irrigate their fields during dry season.

Majority of the people living along the banks of Teesta and Brahmaputra River in the northern areas of Bangladesh are engaged in fishing for their livelihoods. However, irregular rainfall and untimely floods due to climate change are hampering the regular breeding and production of local species of fish. Faced with huge losses, many fishermen had to sell off their own boats, and forced to join bigger fishing groups for only half as much income as before. Left with no choice, several of them had to migrate to other places.

Irregular rainfall, untimely floods, extreme heat and droughts are the major climatic hazards experienced in the northern districts of Bangladesh. As a result, agriculture using traditional methods and techniques have become very difficult. To cope with the situation, local farmers have devised innovative ways to deal with the issue, including early planting as well as use of polytunnels and short duration crop varieties, allowing them to grow vegetables all year round.

Nilganj union, situated in Kalapara upazila of Patuakhali, Bangladesh, is frequently faced with cyclones and floods. The only cyclone shelter available in this union is on the other side of the Pakhimara River. Because of the absence of any proper bridge, people often struggled to reach the cyclone shelter on time. To solve this problem, community members, with support from the Upazila Parishad, have built a floating bridge across the river using plastic drums.

Fish farming had long been the primary form of livelihood for people residing in the southwestern coastal district of Bagerhat. However, the area has seen a significant decline in fish production in recent years, owing to rising water salinity levels due to climate change. To cope with this challenge, Bacchu Mallik, a local fish farmer, started growing a variety of seasonal fruits including mangoes, zapotas and guavas, along the banks of his fish enclosure. In only two years, he was able to make up for the losses he suffered in previous years. Inspired by the success, other local fish farmers have followed suit and set up fruit gardens around their fish enclosures.

Lazina Begum, resident of Musallipara village in Kurigram, Bangladesh, has started practicing ‘sack gardening’ on raised beds, as an innovative approach to protect her crops during flood months. Her once-submerged land has now transformed into a thriving garden, boasting a variety of vegetables including ginger plants, pointed gourds, long beans, and an array of leafy greens. The raised bed method and sack gardening not only shield her crops from the recurrent floods, but have also become a source of substantial income for her.

For the past couple of decades, salinity levels in water and soil have been gradually rising in Bagerhat, forcing people to quit agriculture and start practicing shrimp farming. However, due to extreme heat and irregular rainfall in recent years, the number of virus attacks on shrimp farms have increased, causing huge losses for the farmers. In response, several farmers have opted for crab farming which proved to be more profitable than shrimp farming.

Md. Abu Taher, a young farmer from Gaibandha is growing BRRI-52 rice, a flood tolerant variant of rice. With training and support from the local agriculture extension office, other farmers like Taher are also using this rice variant to sustain their livelihoods in the face of erratic rainfall patterns caused by climate change.

For the past 20 years, Faruk had been ‘hilsa’ fishing in Meghna river to earn a living. However, several Chars (riverine islands) have emerged along the river in recent years, significantly restricting upstream migration of ‘hilsa’ population. Over 165,000 fishermen living in Bhola district have been affected as a result. However, Faruk had not given up. As an alternative, he adopted cage culture to cultivate tilapia and other freshwater fish.