Anticipatory Action - Niger

Getting Ahead of Drought

Today, we can predict with increasing confidence the occurrence and humanitarian impact of certain climatic shocks. By combining different analytical approaches, out-of-the-ordinary weather events can not only be predicted, but their projected humanitarian impact can proactively be mitigated based on pre-identified anticipatory actions.

Building on growing evidence that acting prior to the onset of a predict-able, severe hazard is significantly more (cost-)effective than tradition-al humanitarian response, OCHA is facilitating the setup of multiple collective anticipatory action frameworks that, upon being activated, are implemented with funds allocated from CERF. Beyond CERF, other donors are encouraged to contribute funds to the frameworks within their own established criteria and in complementarity.

The framework for drought in Niger, a country that is highly exposed to climate risk, was designed by humanitarian partners under the leadership of the Humanitarian Coordinator, with support from OCHA. The framework was endorsed by both the Humanitarian Coordinator and the Emergency Relief Coordinator in January 2022 and is valid for a period of two years.

The objective of the anticipatory action framework is to mitigate the impact of forecasted severe drought on vulnerable, at-risk individuals and communities in Niger through collective, cross-sectoral anticipato-ry action