This presentation shares lessons and experiences from the Water at the Heart of Climate Action programme in Ethiopia, implemented by the Ethiopian Red Cross Society with support of the Netherlands Red Cross as part of a wider consortium. It focuses on anticipatory action in Ethiopia and locally led adaptation in two target woredas, and was presented on 28 October 2026.
It shows how risk knowledge, forecasts, early warnings and community action are linked into one chain. Topics include co-design with communities, government and universities, combining indigenous and local knowledge with scientific forecasts, solarizing water systems in Harshin, and geophysical and hydrogeological assessment before investing in water points.
The presentation also covers the remaining challenges and closes with five lessons for other countries: co-design changes design, local knowledge adds value, assess before investing, infrastructure needs governance, and pillars must learn together.
Presentation by Desmond Ongara and Abraham Tesfaye.
Water at the Heart of Climate Action is delivered by a consortium of the Netherlands Red Cross, IFRC, the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre, the Systematic Observations Financing Facility (SOFF), UNDRR and the World Meteorological Organization. It is funded by the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation. Find out more: www.waterattheheartofclimateaction.org/
English 