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Marginalised groups in semi-arid regions who live on the frontline of climate impacts will benefit if they are more actively included in climate adaptation governance. However, in these areas, governments struggle to deliver services or engage with local communities due to a range of factors, such as inadequate mainstreaming of climate concerns in development planning, staff capacity deficits at lower levels of governance, and limited technical expertise. We see fragmented decision making across different governance levels. Climate change adaptation responses could learn from widespread implementation of decentralisation, and how it has enabled, and in some cases undermined, the ability to support participation and flexibility across scales. Strengthening governance, and the capacity to engage in decision making across scales, across actors, and between formal and customary governance structures, should be a priority for enabling effective adaptation. Doing so could enable more equitable participation, promote flexible, hybrid forms of governance, and encourage forward-looking, cross-scalar collaboration and knowledge flows.

ASSAR’s focus on governance

ASSAR concentrated on issues of governance in semi-arid regions, with a focus on what forms of governance will enable effective adaptation. The primary question we addressed was: How do existing governance structures help those most vulnerable to adapt to existing climatic and non-climatic dimensions of risk? Our research focused on the impacts of decentralisation in: the water sector in Namibia, Kenya, and Ethiopia; land tenure and customary law in Mali; and climate risk, vulnerability, and adaptation planning in India.

Key insights

In semi-arid regions there is insufficient understanding of what the most appropriate governance approaches are for adapting to climate risk

Adaptation governance is often fragmented; there are disconnects across different levels of governance, and between ecological and administrative scales. Different institutions and actors often have overlapping, competing or antagonistic relationships with regard to adaptation-related responsibilities. Within different institutions there is often a lack of capacity and infrastructure for adaptation across scales, as well as limited planning that is flexible and forward looking, and which accounts for future climatic risks and impacts. As a consequence, marginalised groups often have to manage climate risks without the support they need.

Hybrid governance arrangements are emerging to support adaptation

Disconnections between national, regional and local governments in semi-arid regions mean that intermediary entities often need to negotiate between local actors and government. With some of these intermediaries linking across different scales and across traditional and bureaucratic practices, hybrid governance arrangements are emerging to support adaptation. However, intermediaries often lack capacity in adaptation-related knowledge and decision making, and need requisite support to perform these roles.

Working with customary institutions can help foster collaborative adaptation responses that are cognisant of local context

In semi-arid regions, traditional and customary institutions can play an important role in natural resource management and adaptation responses. In some cases, formalising or supporting these institutions has led to improved management of water, pasture land and forests. It has also led to the emergence of hybrid structures where traditional institutions collaborate with formal government agencies on land stewardship and resource management. However, conflicts between customary and formalised government arrangements remain, especially when the definition of mandates, authority, and roles and responsibilities is unclear. Ways of integrating traditional and customary institutions with government institutions need more attention. Integration holds opportunities for adaptation that recognises local needs and structures while acknowledging the role of government.

Building capacity of local actors to engage in local and cross-scalar adaptation governance is critical, but must start from appreciating existing capacity and aspiration

People living in semi-arid regions hold a lot of local knowledge about adaptation challenges, and in many cases are responding to change. Future shifts in temperature and rainfall patterns as a result of climate change will put extra pressure on these communities, increasing their need for support. Although work is happening around climate change policy and the establishment of national priorities, this work is not yet feeding into or sufficiently supporting on-the-ground needs. At the local level, there is a lack of financial and technical support for communities to innovate for adaptation. Local capacity needs to be strengthened to adapt to long-term change and support engagement in multi-level governance processes and flexible planning. This capacity strengthening needs to build on existing skills and local knowledge while recognising that new skills are needed. Maximum benefit will be derived if the capacity support links to wellbeing, and aspirations, and is context specific.

Adaptation needs to prioritise vulnerable groups and contested views, which requires more attention to how diverse needs and voices get heard

In the adaptation space, certain views dominate decision-making processes and the identification of adaptation priorities. For most potential adaptation responses, trade-offs exist. Frequently, these are insufficiently explored from the perspective of diverse groups, and dominant groups tend to have the final say. More attention needs to be paid to how to shift away from dominant views, to support processes and implementation that can include the priorities of the most vulnerable, who are often least able to support their own adaptation sufficiently. This is likely to require additional support from NGOs and intermediaries that can liaise between vulnerable groups, government actors and, at times, the private sector.

Click here for more detail, and ASSAR's specific recommendations for policy, practice, and research

Contact

Gina Ziervogel* (gina.ziervogel@uct.ac.za), University of Cape Town

Related news stories

Adaptation is about people: a new ASSAR video

With a strong focus on understanding the factors that enhance or diminish people's vulnerability and wellbeing, and the responses they take to deal with both climatic and non-climatic stressors, ASSAR focused on the most marginalised.

Related outputs

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Links

Book chapter Morchain, D. 2018 Multi-level climate change planning: Scale, capacity and the ability for local action. In: S. Moloney, H. Fuenfgeld and M. Granberg (eds.) Local Action on Climate Change. London, UK: Routledge, pp. 92-110.  
Book chapter Sami, N. 2018 Localising environmental governance in India: Mapping urban institutional structures. In A. Luque-Ayala, H. A. Bulkeley and S. Marvin (eds.) Rethinking Urban Transitions: Politics in the Low Carbon City. London, UK: Routledge (chapter).  
Brochure/flyer D’Souza, M. and Misquitta, K. 2018 From me to we...from mine to ours! A story of how motivation changes people’s perceptions and drives community action. [Story of Change]    
Infographic ASSAR 2018 Do women farmers have a fair share of land for food security and sustainable adaptation?    
Infographic ASSAR 2018 Multiscale governance: The paradox of top-down policy design.   French infographic
Infographic ASSAR 2018 Sometimes our interventions can lead to unintended consequences: A well does not always lead to wellbeing.    
Information brief ASSAR 2016 Barriers and enablers of climate change adaptation in semi-arid Ghana.    
Information brief ASSAR 2018 Do conservancies enhance the adaptive capacity of communities? Perspectives from ASSAR’s work in Kenya.    
Information brief ASSAR 2019 Does villagisation enhance the adaptive capacity of pastoralist communities? Perspectives from ASSAR's work in Ethiopia.    
Information brief Bosworth, B., Hegga, S. and Ziervogel, G. 2018 When participation is not enough: Lessons from decentralised water governance in Namibia.    
Information brief CARIAA 2018 Climate adaptation policy.    
Information brief Davies, J. 2017 Barriers and enablers to climate change adaptation in north-central Namibia.    
Information brief Few, R. 2017 Drought does not work alone.    
Journal article Abass, R., Mensah, A. and Fosu-Mensah, B. 2018 The role of formal and informal institutions in smallholder agricultural adaptation: The case of Lawra and Nandom Districts, Ghana. West African Journal on Applied Ecology, 26: 56-72.  
Journal article Few, R., Morchain, D., Spear, D., Mensah, A. and Bendapudi, R. 2017 Transformation, adaptation and development: Relating concepts to practice. Palgrave Communications, 3: 17092. Summary
Journal article Gajjar, S. P., Singh, C. and Deshpande, T. 2018 Tracing back to move ahead: A review of development pathways that constrain adaptation features. Climate and Development. Summary
Journal article Michael, K., Deshpande, T. and Ziervogel, G. 2018 Examining vulnerability in a dynamic urban setting: The case of Bangalore’s interstate migrant waste pickers. Climate and Development. Summary; Information brief
Journal article Morchain, D., Ziervogel, G., Spear, D., Masundire, H., Angula, M., Davies, J., Hegga, S. and Molefe C. 2019 Building transformative capacity in southern Africa: Surfacing knowledge through participatory Vulnerability and Risk Assessments. Action Research, 17(1): 19-41. Summary
Journal article Ofoegbu, C., New, M. G. and Kibet, S. 2018 The effect of inter-organisational collaboration networks on climate knowledge flows and communication to pastoralists in Kenya. Sustainability, 10(11): 4180.  
Journal article Ofoegbu, C., New, M., Nyamwanza, A. M. and Spear, D. 2018 Understanding the current state of collaboration in the production and dissemination of adaptation knowledge in Namibia. Environment, Development and Sustainability.  
Journal article Sidibé, A., Totin, E., Thompson-Hall, M., Traoré, O. T., Traoré, P. C. S. and Olabisi, L. S. 2018 Multi-scale governance in agriculture systems: Interplay between national and local institutions around the production dimension of food security in Mali. NJAS - Wageningen Journal of Life Sciences, 84: 94-102. Summary; English information brief; French information brief
Journal article Singh, C., Rahman, A., Srinivas, A. and Bazaz, A. 2018 Risks and responses in rural India: Implications for local climate change adaptation action. Climate Risk Management, 21: 52-68. Summary; Information brief
Journal article Totin, E., Segnon, A. C., Schut, M., Affognon, H., Zougmoré, R. B., Rosenstock, T., and Thornton, P. K. 2018 Institutional perspectives of climate-smart agriculture: A systematic literature review. Sustainability, 10(6): 1990. Summary
Journal article Davies, J., Spear, D., Ziervogel, G., Hegga, S., Angula, M., Kunamwene, I. and Togarepi, C. 2019 Avenues of understanding: Mapping the intersecting barriers to adaptation in Namibia.   Poster, Information brief
Publication in progress Degefu, M. A., Assen, M. and Satyal, P. _ Villagisation and water resource in the Middle Awash Valley of Ethiopia: Implications for climate change adaptation.   Poster
Publication in progress Few, R., Satyal, P. and Tebboth, M. G. L. _ Using a justice/ capabilities framing to understand people's vulnerability and adaptive capacity in the drylands of East Africa.    
Publication in progress Hegde, G., Sasidharan, S. and Bazaz, A. _ Traditional knowledge systems and the role of knowledge brokers, in India.   Poster
Publication in progress Hegga, S. and Kunamwene, I. _ Mapping actor influence in climate adaptation practices: The case of north-central Namibia.   Poster
Publication in progress Hegga, S., Kunamwene, I. and Ziervogel, G. _ Local participation in decentralised water governance: Insights from north-central Namibia.   Presentation
Publication in progress Kaur, H., Bazaz, A. and Srinivas, A. _ Understanding access to knowledge systems and rural perspectives from Karnataka.    
Publication in progress Kibet, S., Wasonga, O., Satyal, P., Rao, N. and Zewdie, A. _ Perceptions on governance and knowledge flow on effective adaptation to climate changes within community-based conservancies in Kenya.    
Publication in progress Michael, K., Deshpande, T. and Bhaskara, K. _ The political economy of climate change and vulnerability in a neo-liberal city: A case of Bengaluru's informal settlements.   Summary
Publication in progress Ofoegbu, C. and New, M. _ The effect of inter-organisational collaboration networks on climate knowledge flows and communication to rural farmers in Ghana.    
Publication in progress Pillai, S. and Bendapudi, R. _ Inclusion of local aspirations in village development plans in Maharashtra.    
Publication in progress Satyal, P., Budds, J., Few, R., Bahir, A., Kibet, S. _ Adaptation to climate change in the context of decentralisation: Exploring multi-level governance of water-related issues in semi-arid areas of East Africa.   Presentation
Journal article Singh, C., Solomon, D., Bendapudi, R., Kuchimanchi, B., Iyer, S. and Bazaz, A. 2019 What shapes vulnerability and risk management in semi-arid India? Moving towards an agenda of sustainable adaptation.   Summary
Publication in progress Totin, E., Sidibe, A. and Thompson-Hall, M. _ Governance of resources: Is there space for implementing the land policy under complex customary tenure practices?   Presentation
Publication in progress Wasonga, O., Kibet, S., Tebboth, M. G. L., Few, R. _ Do wildlife conservancies enhance the adaptive capacity of local communities? Perspectives from northern Kenya.    
Publication in progress Ziervogel, G., Satyal, P., Basu, R., Mensah, A. and Singh, C. _ Vertical integration for climate change adaptation in the water sector: Lessons from decentralisation in Africa and India.    
Report ASSAR 2019 Forward-looking inclusive governance arrangements across different scales are a critical enabler for adaptation    
Report Hegga, S. 2016 Mapping out stakeholder influence on the implementation of climate change adaptation in Namibia – Short report.    
Report Hegga, S. 2016 Vulnerability and risk assessment in the Onesi Constituency, Omusati Region, Namibia: Towards improving livelihood adaptation to climate change – Short report.   Summary
Report Hegga, S., Siyambango, N., Angula, M., Spear, D., Masundire, H., Molefe, C. and Morchain, D. 2015 Stakeholder and influence network mapping exercise with the government, development and research actors in Namibia.    
Report Masundire, H., Morchain, D., Raditloaneng, N., Hegga, S., Ziervogel, G., Molefe, C., Angula, M. and Omari, K. 2016 Vulnerability and risk assessment in Botswana’s Bobirwa sub-district: Fostering people-centred adaptation to climate change.    
Report Singh, C., Basu, R. and Srinivas, A. 2016 Livelihood vulnerability and adaptation in Kolar District, Karnataka, India: Mapping risks and responses.    
Report Tebboth, M. G. L. and Few, R. 2018 Considering the future of Prosopis: Participatory Scenario Analysis in Afar, Ethiopia.    
Report Tebboth, M. G. L. and Few, R. 2018 Considering the future of the rangelands: Participatory Scenario Analysis in Isiolo, Kenya.    
Thesis Abass, R. 2018 Formal and informal institutions in climate change adaptation: the case of Lawra and Nandom districts in the upper west region. Master's thesis. University of Ghana. Poster
Thesis Akugre, F.A. 2017 Implications of land tenure rights on farmers’ adaptive capacity to climate variability and change in semi-arid North-Western Ghana: The case of crop farmers in the Lawra district. Master's thesis. University of Ghana.  
Thesis Ballo, M. _ Effet des changements climatiques et des pratiques agricoles sur la gestion durable des bas-fonds dans le Mali Sud: Cas de Sorobasso et Koumbri dans le Cercle de Koutiala, Bamadougou Bagotière dans le Cercle de Sikasso. PhD thesis. Institut Universitaire de Développement Territorial de Bamako (IUDT).  
Thesis Berthe, D. 2017 Analyse de la dynamique des modes d'accès au foncier agricole dans les communes rurales de koloningue et de m’pessoba, Cercle de Koutiala au Mali. Master's thesis. Institut supérieur de formation à la recherche appliquée (ISFRA).  
Thesis Cisse, O. 2017 Analyse de l’évolution des pratiques de pêche dans la commune rurale de Zangasso, cercle de Koutiala au Mali. Master's thesis. Institut supérieur de formation à la recherche appliquée (ISFRA).  
Thesis Davies, J. 2016 Exploring the factors and actors that contribute to the co-production of climate adaptation plans: A comparison of three municipalities in the Western Cape Province, South Africa. Master's thesis. University of Cape Town.  
Thesis Kunamwene, I. _ Wellbeing as a way of looking at vulnerability and response to drought in Onesi, Namibia. PhD thesis. University of Cape Town.  
Thesis Omari, K. _ Drought management in Botswana. PhD thesis. University of Cape Town.  
Thesis Sanogo, T. 2017 Changements climatiques et gouvernance des ressources pastorales dans la commune rurale de Sincina Cercle de Koutiala, Mali. Master's thesis. Institut supérieur de formation à la recherche appliquée (ISFRA).  
Thesis Shooya, O. 2017 Barriers and enablers to water access and community wellbeing in the Onesi constituency of Namibia: The case of Okalonga B and Onandjandja villages. Master's thesis. University of Cape Town.  
Thesis Sulemana, A. 2017 Management and use of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) as climate change adaptation strategy in Lawra district, Ghana. Master's thesis. University of Ghana.  
Thesis Traore, O. T. 2016 Gouvernance et vulnérabilité des groupes sociaux: Analyse de la situation institutionnelle autour du coton dans le Cercle de Koutiala. Master's thesis. Institut Universitaire de Développement Territorial de Bamako (IUDT).  
Thesis Zulfawo, T. A. 2016 Exploring the competing uses of water in the context of climate variability and change in the Lawra district. Master's thesis. University of Ghana.  
Web article Ziervogel, G. and Hegga, S. 2018 Why ordinary people must have a say in water governance. The Conversation. 17 June 2018.  
Working paper Basu, R. and Bazaz, A. 2016 Assessing climate change risks and contextual vulnerability in urban areas of semi-arid India: The case of Bangalore.    
Working paper Bendapudi, R., Yadav, A., Chemburkar, S., D’Souza, M. and Thomas, R. 2019 Adaptation or maladaptation: Case of farm ponds converted into storage tanks in Maharashtra: Implications for groundwater governance.   Poster
Working paper Davies, J., Spear, D., Omari, K., Morchain, D., Urquhart, P. and Zaremba, J. 2017 Background paper on Botswana’s draft Drought Management Strategy.    
Working paper Few, R., Bendapudi, R., Mensah, A. and Spear, D. 2016 Transformation in adaptation: Learning from ASSAR’s regional diagnostic studies.    
Working paper Few, R., Satyal P., Assen M., Camfield L., Leavy J. and McGahey D. 2018 The development-adaptation spectrum in dryland East Africa: mapping risks, responses and critical questions for social research.    
Working paper Misquitta, K. and Thatte, K. 2018 Whose appropriate technology? Understanding the adoption of micro-irrigation in the face of climate and policy uncertainty.    
Working paper Revi, A., Bazaz, A., Krishnaswamy, J., Bendapudi, R., D’Souza, M. and Pahwa Gajjar, S. 2015 Vulnerability and adaptation to climate change in semi-arid areas in India.    
Working paper Singh, C., Gajjar, S. P. and Deshpande, T. 2016 Policies, projects and people: Exploring the adaptation-development spectrum in India.    
Working paper Spear, D., Haimbili, E., Angula, M., Baudoin, M., Hegga, S., Zaroug, M. and Okeyo, A. 2015 Vulnerability and adaptation to climate change in the semi-arid regions of southern Africa.