Growing numbers of persons living in the Sahel – the semi-arid region of Africa that covers large parts of Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger – are increasingly exposed to climate variability and its effects including drought, heat stress, floods, food insecurity and malnutrition.

Their vulnerability to these risks is heightened by high rates of poverty, and compounded by conflict and insecurity in this region. In addition, climate-related shocks are becoming more frequent, severe and complex. With limited government capacity to manage climate-related risks and address vulnerability, and continued shortfalls in humanitarian assistance, vulnerable persons are increasingly displaced or resorting to negative coping strategies.

FCDO’s Sahel Shock Response Programme (SRP) is a five-year project to strengthen national social protection systems’ ability to anticipate and mitigate the impacts of shocks in the Sahel region. The programme finances the World Bank’s Sahel Adaptive Social Protection Programme (SASPP).

The Centre works alongside the SASPP and other stakeholders to support social protection systems in reaching more and more vulnerable people, strengthening the ability of such systems to adapt to climate-related shocks, and to assist governments in defining and putting in place strategies to finance such adaptive social protection.

The Centre brings to bear its specialised advisory, technical assistance and research capabilities to improve the way in which disaster risk financing enhanced and supports adaptive social protection in the Sahel region.

The Centre’s support is enabled by a £3m UK Aid investment, and will run until 2026. Read our project explainer available in English and French.