Action climatique féministe en Afrique de l’Ouest par Inter Pares et Solidarité Union Coopération (SUCO)

The objective of the project is to enhance community climate adaptation by engaging women and youth in biodiversity conservation and climate action through agro-ecological practices and ecosystem rehabilitation, while boosting their economic power via appropriate technologies and local markets. By integrating local governance, gender equality, and agroecology, it seeks to increase resilience to climate change for women, indigenous peoples, and communities in coastal and island regions of Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, and Togo. Involving local youth will ensure sustainable learning and practices, reinforcing their roles in promoting gender equality, climate action, and biodiversity protection.

The project aims to strengthen climate change adaptation for rural and indigenous women and youth in environmentally sensitive coastal and island regions of Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, and Togo. It seeks to increase their influence in climate policy advocacy and ecosystem governance, particularly concerning ecosystems with high biodiversity and vulnerability to climate change.

The initiative focuses on enhancing the protection of ecosystems threatened by climate change through agroecology, restoration, and habitat protection led by rural and indigenous women and youth. Additionally, it aims to bolster the climate resilience of these groups through economic and energy empowerment.

This project aims to enhance climate change adaptation for rural and indigenous women and youth through capacity building and practical implementation. It begins with identifying barriers and enablers for their active participation in biodiversity and climate decision-making bodies, followed by training workshops to reinforce their roles in these areas.

Women and youth lead networking and advocacy initiatives, supported by education on climate policies and biodiversity conservation. These advocacy activities target national authorities and include public engagement efforts in Canada through various media platforms.

Local authorities conduct participatory diagnostics to evaluate ecosystem vulnerability to climate change and formulate gender-sensitive adaptation strategies. Village workshops educate and train local leaders on gender-sensitive biodiversity mitigation and adaptation measures, leading to the creation and execution of ecosystem management and development plans.

The project provides technical and financial assistance to promote climate-resilient agroecological practices, enhance water access, and facilitate nursery and coastal ecosystem reforestation. Solar and energy-efficient technologies are deployed for food production, processing, and preservation.

Training covers the operation and upkeep of renewable energy systems, business development, inclusive value chains, cooperative management, and direct marketing. Additionally, support is extended to rural businesses run by women’s groups, with efforts to strengthen savings and credit frameworks.