Local Solutions, Global Impact: Climate Adaptation in West Africa

This synthesis report by the Africa Policy Research Institute examines climate change adaptation policies and locally-led adaptation (LLA) strategies in Ghana, Nigeria, and Senegal. It highlights the gap between national climate goals (NDCs) and local implementation, emphasizing that while communities are actively adapting, they are often excluded from decision-making and lack the financial and technical resources necessary for sustainable resilience.

• West African nations, specifically Ghana, Nigeria, and Senegal, face severe threats to development from climate-related disasters including floods, droughts, and coastal erosion. While these countries implement adaptation policies aligned with their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), implementation is hindered by a heavy reliance on external financing due to limited government fiscal capacity and a lack of recognition for local actors in the design of climate actions.
• Locally-led adaptation (LLA) strategies in Ghana, Nigeria, and Senegal leverage indigenous knowledge and participatory practices to create contextually relevant resilience. However, these grassroots initiatives are frequently overlooked by planned adaptation processes and are not integrated into national or global solutions. Furthermore, gender norms limit the ability of women to hold leadership positions or participate in decision-making within LLA, despite their critical role in managing agriculture and household resources.
• A significant funding gap exists for LLA practices among fishing and agricultural communities in Senegal, Nigeria, and Ghana, caused by unreliable international climate finance and inadequate domestic resources. This is compounded by a climate finance model that utilizes numerous intermediaries for short-term projects, which often excludes local actors from leadership roles in finance planning.
• Effective LLA in West Africa is impeded by a disparity between scientific research and practical implementation, as well as a lack of local data to inform on-the-ground strategies. Additionally, climate adaptation planning has historically operated independently from broader sectoral development policies, leading to fragmented initiatives and inefficient resource use.

APA

APRI (2024). Local Solutions, Global Impact: Climate Adaptation in West Africa. Africa Policy Research Institute. https://afripoli.org/local-solutions-global-impact-climate-adaptation-in-west-africa

Chicago

APRI. Local Solutions, Global Impact: Climate Adaptation in West Africa. Africa Policy Research Institute, 2024. https://afripoli.org/local-solutions-global-impact-climate-adaptation-in-west-africa.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=APRI |title=Local Solutions, Global Impact: Climate Adaptation in West Africa |publisher=Africa Policy Research Institute |date=7 May 2024 |url=https://afripoli.org/local-solutions-global-impact-climate-adaptation-in-west-africa |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{apri2024local, author = {APRI}, title = {{Local Solutions, Global Impact: Climate Adaptation in West Africa}}, institution = {Africa Policy Research Institute}, year = {2024}, month = may, url = {https://afripoli.org/local-solutions-global-impact-climate-adaptation-in-west-africa}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }