Ouémé Basin Climate-Resilience Initiative (OCRI) Benin

The Ouémé Basin Climate-Resilience Initiative (OCRI) is a six-year project in Benin designed to reduce climate vulnerability for 330,000 direct beneficiaries and 6 million indirect beneficiaries. The initiative focuses on the Upper and Middle Ouémé Basin, implementing a mix of hard infrastructure (micro-dams, water harvesting) and soft measures (climate-resilient agriculture, agroforestry) across 95,000 hectares. It targets key value chains including maize, cashew, shea, and mango to diversify income and reduce poverty. The project also establishes a multi-stakeholder platform to institutionalize integrated basin management and strengthens the financial capacity of the Fonds National pour l’Environnement (FNEC) to provide long-term climate finance.

• The project targets a total carbon balance of – 1,783,633 tCO2-eq over a 20-year lifespan, achieved through reforestation, improved forest management, and the adoption of no-tillage and residue management practices.
• The initiative will implement integrated climate-resilient management (ICRM) over 95,000 hectares, including 89,680 ha funded by the GCF and 5,320 ha through MAEP co-finance via IFAD projects.
• The project aims to reach 6 million total beneficiaries, with 330,000 direct beneficiaries (3% of the total population) and 5,670,000 indirect beneficiaries (47% of the total population), targeting 50% women in both groups.
• The project is implemented across five municipalities: Copargo and Djougou in the Upper Ouémé; Glazoué in the Upper-Middle Ouémé; and Zogbodomey and Zagnanado in the Middle Ouémé.
• Key agricultural value chains targeted for resilience and productivity strengthening include maize, cashew, shea, and mango, as these have strong market potential and are already present in the target areas.
• The project will build 30 new surface water collection structures, rehabilitate 23 existing ones, establish 680 ha of irrigated plots, protect 14 water sources, and build 44 artesian boreholes.
• To address financial barriers, the project will establish Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLA) and partner with the National Fund for Agricultural Development (FNDA), which will provide a 50% guarantee on loans and ensure interest rates at 12% compared to the regular 18-24%.
• The project utilizes the Farmer Field School (FFS) and Farmer Business School (FBS) methodologies to train 25,250 farmers in climate-resilient agriculture (CRA) and business management.
• A multi-stakeholder platform (the OCRI platform) will be established to coordinate ICRM, revise the Ouémé Master Plan (SDAGE) and local development plans (PDL), and disseminate knowledge.
• The project will strengthen the capacity of the Fonds National pour l’Environnement (FNEC) to design and monitor bankable climate projects and will provide grants for three micro-projects in the Ouémé Basin.
• The project employs the Dimitra Clubs approach to foster gender equality and community engagement, specifically targeting the empowerment of rural women who face limited access to land and credit.
• The project uses the FarmTree App as an innovative tool for climate-resilient agri-planning and to collect evidence of the economic and environmental benefits of the interventions.
• Total financing for the project is USD 35,314,576, with a GCF grant request of USD 18,453,795 and co-financing from the Government of Benin, FAO, FNEC, and MAEP (via IFAD).

APA

Green Climate Fund (2022). Ouémé Basin Climate-Resilience Initiative (OCRI) Benin. https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/fp187-fao-benin.pdf

Chicago

Green Climate Fund. Ouémé Basin Climate-Resilience Initiative (OCRI) Benin. 2022. https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/fp187-fao-benin.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Green Climate Fund |title=Ouémé Basin Climate-Resilience Initiative (OCRI) Benin |date=9 August 2022 |url=https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/fp187-fao-benin.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{greenclimatefund2022oum, author = {{Green Climate Fund}}, title = {{Ouémé Basin Climate-Resilience Initiative (OCRI) Benin}}, institution = {Green Climate Fund}, year = {2022}, month = aug, url = {https://www.greenclimate.fund/sites/default/files/document/fp187-fao-benin.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }