Changing climate and weather patterns are predicted to have severe negative impacts on food production, food security and natural resources in East Africa. Without appropriate responses, climate change is likely to constrain economic development and poverty reduction efforts and exacerbate already pressing difficulties.

Climate change is expected to worsen the instances of flooding and drought. This picture was taken in Kenya when the country experienced a severe drought from 2007 to 2009.

Countries with economies rooted in climate sensitive sectors like agriculture, fisheries and forestry are expected to be especially hard hit. Targets defined in the Millennium Development Goals will be more difficult to reach.

In order to develop an understanding of climate change adaptation concepts, the Wageningen University in the Netherlands will host a course titled “Climate change adaptation in agriculture and natural resource management” from 28 February to 11 March 2010.

The course will enable participants to effectively and meaningfully contribute to debate on climate change adaptation, either in the policy process or in providing knowledge to the policy process. They will strengthen their positions in these processes on the basis of newly acquired concepts, skills and methodologies.

This course is developed through a partnership between Wageningen University and Research centre (Wageningen UR Centre for Development Innovation, Alterra and PRI), the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM), the Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

Please click here for details on course fees and how to apply.