National Implementing Entities (NIEs) are seminal in allowing governments to access climate funding which affords them the opportunity to implement adaptation projects that facilitate climate compatible development.  Developing countries are only able to access the Adaptation Fund via accredited implementing entities, multilateral, regional or national. The capacity for the development of NIEs and programming of projects thereafter is limited at present and it is essential that governments in Africa be capacitated to facilitate this process.

A number of NIEs in Africa have commenced or completed this process of accreditation, and so have domestic climate change funds such as FONERWA in Rwanda and the Climate Resilient Green Economy (CRGE) facility in Ethiopia. This combined NIE experience is rich in lessons for programming of ‘direct access’ more broadly.

It is against this background that the research project was proposed to leverage the Climate Governance in Africa programme of the Heinrich Böll Foundation (HBF) in partnership with CDKN which intends to bring together accredited implementing entities of the Adaptation Fund in Africa – as well as selected domestic climate finance facilities - in a workshop, the first of its kind.

The workshop discussed common obstacles NIEs in Africa are faced with during the execution of projects, as well as the opportunities, strategies and insights for effective utilisation of funds disbursed from the Adaptation Fund and other direct access modalities.

Preceding the workshop, research was carried out to identify and assess the progress of accredited implementing entities on the projects and programmes they have developed. Research focused on the approaches adopted by these agencies to programming direct access at the sub-national / community level as well as challenges in achieving registration and/or fund set up.

Read the full research report: Learning from Direct Access Modalities in Africa

Read the executive summary of the research report.

Project Resources:

Report: CDKN&Dalberg NCCF Resource Mobilisation

Presentation: NCCF resource mobilisation

Presentation: MSME access to finance

Report: MSME access to finance

Funding: £87,600

Timeframe: April 2014- February 2015 (10 months)