ROME, 19 March. - (ANA) - Amid growing climate challenges in Montenegro, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) signed an agreement with the Government of Montenegro to finance the Adaptation to Climate Change and Resilience in the Montenegrin Mountain Areas project (GORA). The project aims to support small-scale farmers and rural communities to cope with the effects of a changing climate. As a major assembler of finance in the agricultural development sector, IFAD has leveraged a US$10 million Adaptation Fund grant to finance GORA, which targets 14 municipalities in the Northern mountainous areas of the country.

 

“The geographical location, topography and the socio-economic characteristics of Montenegro -especially the mountainous areas - make it vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Together with our Montenegrin partners, we are developing strategies to improve the resilience and livelihoods of small-scale farmers and producers. We are also boosting post-harvest infrastructure, and ecosystems in the face of climate change,” said Dina Saleh, IFAD Regional Director, Near East, North Africa, Europe and Central Asia Division.

 

Mountain ecosystems are crucial for water resources and carbon storage, yet they are highly susceptible to the impacts of climate change. Accelerated snowmelt disrupts water flows, leading to flash floods downstream and water deficits upstream, affecting water availability year-round. Rising temperatures and intensified droughts heighten the probability of forest fires and degrade natural resources, increasing the risk of landslides and impacting infrastructure. Small-scale producers in mountainous regions are particularly vulnerable to these outcomes, due to limited resources and infrastructure.

 

GORA aims to enhance ecosystem and smallholder livelihood resilience in northern Montenegro by promoting sustainable and climate-resilient practices. By fostering collaboration among stakeholders and providing training on agroecological approaches, the project aims to increase income-stability and promote diverse production systems. Local stakeholders will be engaged in mapping climate vulnerabilities and developing adaptation strategies, including investments in infrastructure and water storage.

 

“While for IFAD US$10 million may not be a huge amount of money, for us it is very significant as it allows to reach out to small-scale producers in remote areas and help them to engage in sustainable activities,” said Vladimir Jokovic, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, Montenegro. “This project will support our efforts to increase production and show the economic viability of these areas, which are affected by the migration of rural people and youth to the Central and Southern parts of the country.”

 

“GORA will build on the success of IFAD’s Rural Clustering and Transformation Project (RCTP) in Montenegro, which  supported 5,889 rural households between 2017 and 2023. The project reached outstanding results and could draw critical lessons on how to help small farmers adapt to climate change.” As said by Juan Carlos Mendoza, Director, Environment, Climate, Gender and Social Inclusion Division, IFAD.

 

GORA is IFAD’s second project in Montenegro after the completion of RCTP last year. The project will target up to 12,500 households, of which 50% are women and 30% are youth.   - (ANA) -

 

AB/ANA/19 March 2024 - - -