Lesotho - Climate Change Adaptation project for Sustainable Rural Water Supply in Lowlands

The proposed operation is the Climate Change Adaptation project for Sustainable Rural Water Supply in Lowlands, Lesotho, which is financed by Global Environmental Facility (GEF)/Least Developed Country Fund (LDCF) for an indicative amount of US $4.4 million and co-financed by the AfDB to the tune of US $17 million. The project will improve livelihoods of the communities of the southwestern lowlands facing challenges related to climate change with a particular emphasis on better resources management. Indeed, water and sanitation problems in the lowlands of Lesotho have been exacerbated by extreme and frequent drought occurrence. The overall diminishing amount of rainfall is a source of grave concern for the sustainability of sources of domestic water. This has had dire consequences for the livelihood and well-being of the people in the region particularly the vulnerable rural communities. The burgeoning rural communities also place mounting pressure on the already precarious water resources. This project thus supports additional measures to increase the resilience of drinking water availability in vulnerable areas through supply-augmenting and demand-control measures, combined with the protection of micro-watersheds and water supply sources from climate-induced droughts and floods. With the additional financing from LDCF, the impact of the project will be enhanced, particularly with respect to resilience, sustainability of water facilities and natural resource management in the face of climatic shocks.