$9m ADF Grant to Shield Tanzania from Climate Shocks
The African Development Fund (ADF) has approved a $9.38 million grant to Tanzania aimed at enhancing climate resilience in the Mkondoa Catchment, a critical water resource region increasingly affected by floods and droughts linked to climate change.
The project, approved on 12 December 2025 under the ADF’s Climate Action Window, will focus on protecting communities and critical infrastructure while improving water security and livelihoods. It is expected to directly benefit around 774,000 residents across the Gairo, Kilosa and Mvomero districts.
Key interventions will include the strengthening of early warning systems, the construction of climate-resilient infrastructure such as dikes and check dams, and the restoration of 1,200 hectares of degraded watersheds.
Project implementation, led by the Wami/Ruvu Basin Water Board under Tanzania’s Ministry of Water, is scheduled to begin in January 2026, and is expected to create approximately 3,500 temporary jobs and 1,000 long-term positions, with a strong focus on women and youth employment.
Expected outcomes include reduced flood and drought impacts, improved water availability for households and agriculture, and enhanced institutional capacity for climate adaptation.
The project also aims to protect the strategic Morogoro–Dodoma Road (B-127), a key regional trade corridor, while improving nutrition, reducing poverty, and supporting sustainable economic growth.
“This project is a strategic investment in Tanzania’s sustainable future,” said Assefaw Mecuria, Manager for the Water Security and Sanitation Division in East and Southern Africa at the African Development Bank. “By building resilience in the Mkondoa Catchment, we are protecting livelihoods, boosting food security, and fostering inclusive economic growth in the face of a changing climate.”
