Climate Adaptation in Africa

We Plant. We Protest. We Protect.

WE ARE ADAPTING WITH DIGNITY.

About Adapt2Live

We are a Pan-African campaign grounded in local realities with global reach, dedicated to showcasing grassroot climate adaptation solutions and climate impacts on frontline communities across the continent.

Through documentaries, storytelling and written pieces, we highlight the lived experiences of diverse African communities and show that climate change is not just about rising global temperatures. It’s also about the human and societal impacts - displacement, disrupted livelihoods, food insecurity, floods, droughts, and increasing pressure on natural resources.

Through community voices and stories, we shine a light on locally led adaptation solutions that are strengthening resilience and supporting livelihoods, despite the significant shorfall in adaptation finance.

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Campaign Pillars

Food Sovereignty

Focuses on transforming food systems to become more climate-resilient, sovereign, and sustainable. The climate crisis is already disrupting Africa’s food systems - causing crop failures, livestock losses, soil degradation, and threatening the livelihoods of smallholder farmers who feed the continent. Key Focus Areas: - Agroecology and regenerative farming practices that build resilience by working with nature to restore soil health, reduce dependency on chemical/synthetic inputs, and increase biodiversity. - Seed sovereignty and the protection of farmer-managed seed systems - preserving local seed varieties adapted to local climatic conditions. - Locally led ownership of food systems that prioritise nutrition, affordability, cultural relevance, and community self-sufficiency. - Support for women and youth in agriculture, who are often frontline actors but under-resourced with limited access to land, finance, and training. - Policy and financial support for scaling up interventions that restores control of food systems to small-holder farmers who make up the vast majority of the agric labour force in Africa and rejects over dependence on industrialised, export-oriented Agric models.

Water Security

Advocates for community-centred water governance and climate-resilient water infrastructure. Africa’s water systems are under growing threat - from prolonged droughts, erratic rainfall, pollution, and mismanagement. Millions face water scarcity and unsafe drinking water, which undermines health, agriculture, and dignity. Key Focus Areas: - Community-led water governance models that empower local groups, including women and Indigenous communities, to manage water resources sustainably. - Sustainable practices such as rainwater harvesting, restoration of wetlands, planting of trees along riverbanks. - Protection of watersheds, rivers, and groundwater systems, especially from extractive industries and industrial agriculture. - Equitable access to clean water - particularly for rural communities, informal settlements, and marginalised populations. - Investment in innovative water storage solutions to serve as buffers against droughts and floods. - Investment in water infrastructure that can withstand extreme weather and provide long-term water security in changing climates.

Health & Climate Resilience

Seeks to strengthen health systems and improve community resilience to climate-related health shocks. The Climate crisis is a health crisis. From heatwaves and vector-borne diseases to food insecurity and trauma caused by disasters, Africa’s health systems are unprepared for the scale of threats ahead. Key Focus Areas: - Preparedness for climate-related disease outbreaks (e.g., malaria, cholera, respiratory illnesses) through early detection, prevention, and response. - Mental health and psychosocial support for communities under chronic climate stress and those displaced after Climate disasters. - Well-equipped local health facilities with the resources, training, and infrastructure needed to serve populations under climate duress. - Integrating and prioritizing health into climate adaptation policies, ensuring that health resilience is not sidelined in national adaptation plans and national budget allocations. - Investment in heatwave and other climate induced disaster response systems and infrastructure (e.g., cooling shelters, mobile health units, robust health data systems).

Adaptation Finance

Finance is the lifeline of Adaptation Action. Despite the urgent need to adapt, adaptation finance remains critically insufficient. According to the UNEP Adaptation Gap Report 2025, annual adaptation finance needs of developing countries are estimated to be between USD 310 and USD 365 billion annually, yet current international public finance flows remain far below what is required. At COP 30, countries agreed to a new - loose adaptation finance target, to triple adaptation finance by 2035. Without a clear and consistent strategy to continuously elevate adaptation finance as the lifeline for African countries within the UNFCCC and other policy fora, developing countries would not be able to mobilize finance to develop and implement their national adaptation plans. Key Focus Areas: - Putting pressure and ensuring the new Adaptation Finance target under the UNFCCC remains a political priority. - Innovative mechanisms such as Debt restructuring and Tax for Adaptation finance - Improving accessibility mechanisms for developing countries and local communities