ADAC’s First Assembly: Strengthening Research Collaboration for Climate Adaptation in East Africa
From December 2 to December 4, the Doctoral Alliance for Climate Adaptation (ADAC) held its inaugural assembly at Acacias Hotel in Djibouti. This landmark event brought together researchers, university partners, international organizations, and professionals from across East Africa to discuss the pressing challenges of climate adaptation and share innovative solutions to build resilience in highly vulnerable regions.
The assembly provided a platform for dialogue, enabling participants to explore the critical role of research and collaboration in addressing the interconnected challenges of climate change, agriculture, and food security. With Africa’s population set to more than double by 2050, and the continent already facing decreasing farm sizes and urbanization pressures, the importance of collective action in climate adaptation has never been more urgent.
ADAC’s primary focus is to foster research collaboration in Priority Adaptation and Innovation Zones (ZAPI), which serve as “in-nature” laboratories for participatory research on sensitive ecosystems such as pastoral systems and coastal areas. The event also highlighted ADAC’s goal of strengthening doctoral programs, building partnerships with local communities, and fostering social innovation to support sustainable climate adaptation.
This assembly marks an important step in ADAC’s mission to create a network of researchers and local stakeholders dedicated to climate resilience across East Africa. Through continued collaboration and innovation, ADAC is committed to finding long-term solutions to the region’s most pressing environmental challenges.
