IKI project strengthens applied resilience to extreme weather events

The project supports partner countries in turning climate research into practical strategies to build sustainable resilience to weather-related disasters and the impacts of climate change.

Extreme weather events caused to climate change are becoming more frequent worldwide. The effects are manifold. Droughts and heavier rainfall affect agriculture, people are forced to leave their homes, and local biodiversity is also altered. Climate research can help the people affected to better adapt to these new conditions.

The B-EPICC (Brazil East Africa Peru India Climate Capacities) project worked from 2018 to 2024 on strengthening resilience to the impacts of climate change in the partner countries Brazil, Ethiopia, India, Peru and Tanzania using knowledge from climate research. The project was implemented by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) together with the German Weather Service (Phase 1, 2018-2021) and the Indian partner TERI - The Energy and Resources Institute. The project focused on the research areas of hydrology and water resources, biodiversity, agriculture and migration.

In these thematic areas, it launched targeted measures for scientific exchange and capacity building. In close cooperation with local scientific and political partners, the research was adapted to the specific needs of the countries. Therefore, the results contributed to the development of national climate adaptation strategies, supported food security and generated environmental and economic benefits for the population. The project also organised workshops with stakeholders in the partner countries and implemented cooperation projects with research institutes, research stays and guest programmes for the promotion of professional exchange as well as joint research projects and publications.

Over the past few years, a number of outstanding project successes have been achieved in the field of applied climate research.

Long-term and precise monsoon forecast

A reliable monsoon forecast is crucial for agriculture in India. The project's climate research has made it possible to accurately predict the onset of the monsoon for central India 40 days in advance and its retreat 70 days in advance. This precise information allows farmers to plan their sowing and harvesting more accurately, leading to significantly higher yields. Thousands of Indian farmers now use of these forecasts, which are available in many regional languages and can also be downloaded from platforms of the Indian weather service. An information film for farmers provides the target group with details regarding the specific significance of the monsoon forecast for their crops.

Research of future cultivation potential

Ethiopian agriculture is facing major challenges due to climate change, especially in rainfed farming systems. Together with its Ethiopian partner, the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), the project investigated the impacts of climate change and soil acidity on future cropping potential. The results show that a lower soil pH value directly leads to harvesting losses. Preventive measures to avoid soil acidification should therefore play a key role in climate change adaptation strategies.

Precise rainfall measurements in the Peruvian highlands

An integrated approach that takes into account the interactions between water, energy and food is essential for sustainable development and resource use. Organisations such as the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) emphasise the importance of this nexus for global food security and sustainable agriculture.

In the mountain region of Peru, the complex hydrometeorological processes have not been adequately mapped so far due to a lack of data, and it has not been possible to accurately calculate rainfall. Among other things, this has a negative impact on agriculture. The close this gap, the project developed the RAIN4PE dataset, which provides much more comprehensive and accurate data for the Peru and Ecuador region than any previous local and global dataset. This allows a much more precise recording of rainfall and considerably improves the assessment of the water-food-energy nexus. RAIN4PE is now being used by the Peruvian authorities and has been further developed in a GIZ project after completion of the project.

Investigation of climate-induced migration

Climate-induced migration has been closely analysed in the partner countries. In cooperation with the country and regional offices of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), risk reports on climate migration were prepared and targeted adaptation measures were recommended to help the affected regions to better prepare for the challenges resulting from climate-induced migration flows.

As part of the project, the research findings were discussed intensively with political stakeholders in order to develop targeted climate adaptation measures. The Peruvian Ministry of the Environment in particular was particularly interested in the results. After a workshop in Peru in 2022, the Peruvian Environment Minister, together with a delegation, visited the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) in order to exchange further information and initiate possible cooperation projects.

The research work and the partnerships established during the project, particularly with research institutions, did not end with the project’s completion. Rather, they form the basis for further research relevant to adaptation to the impacts of climate change and contribute to a continuously growing understanding of the complex impacts of climate change. This allows the development of increasingly targeted adaptation strategies and probably represents the greatest success of the project.