Planning for resilience and sustainability in East Africa

Client name: USAID

Project name: Planning for Resilience in East Africa through Policy, Adaptation, Research, and Economic Development (PREPARED) 

Duration: 2012 – 2016

Location: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Burundi and Rwanda

Situation

Coffey’s parent company, Tetra Tech, is helping the East African Community (EAC) region address three key challenges affecting regional economic and social development. The challenges include transboundary freshwater biodiversity conservation; sustainable access to water, sanitation, and hygiene; and climate change. Because of the lack of economic diversity and inadequate institutional capacity, East African countries are among the most vulnerable to the effects of climate variability and change, whose shocks can further impede economic and livelihood advancement.

Solution

To address these challenges, the U.S. Agency for International Development has created the Planning for Resilience in East Africa through Policy, Adaptation, Research, and Economic Development (PREPARED) program to help integrate climate-resilient development planning and program implementation into the EAC, Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC), and Partner States’ development agendas.

Result

Under this program, Tetra Tech is working with the EAC to build the capacity of the EAC’s Climate Change Coordination Unit; improve the quality and availability of climate information for decision makers in the EAC region; promote climate change adaptation strategies; and help the EAC and Lake Victoria Basin Commission access and manage adaptation funding. PREPARED’s success also depends on continuing support for the Lake Victoria Basin Commission and EAC Partner States in their efforts to improve cooperation and management of transboundary freshwater ecosystems in the small towns and peri-urban areas of the Lake Victoria Basin.