Achievements to date
LIFE-AR in The Gambia is in the Establishment Phase that is expected to end by December, 2024. The team’s initial work was to form the Task Team that comprises 15 members from the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs). These MDAs are actively engaged in environment and climate change work. The purpose of the TT is to direct and guide the work of LIFE-AR in the Gambia as well as to facilitate the decision-making process in relation to the institution and operationalization of the initiative. It is responsible and accountable to the National Steering Committee (NSC) that is the highest body of LIFE-AR Gambia mandated to approve suggestions from the TT and final decision - making.
The National Team also brought in the Core-Group to support the coordinator in the execution of day-to day operational functions of LIFE-AR. It comprises Climate Change Officers of the National Climate Change Secretariat under the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Natural Resources (MECCNAR).
The National Team firstly, commissioned studies – Situational Analysis and the Finance Mechanism with a view to identifying the Delivery Mechanism (DM) and the Fund Manager respectively. By the end of the consultancy, the Department of Community Development (DCD) was identified as the DM whilst The Gambia Social Development Fund (SDF) became the Fund Manager for LIFE-AR. The selection of DCD was partly based on its experience with LoCAL, a global development approach focusing on community empowerment through the use of the participatory planning and development process.
As part of its preparatory work, the DM outsourced a consultancy exercise to align the LoCAL and LIFE-AR approaches to ensure that the LoCAL will embed issues of the LIFE-AR principles and offers. The DM also worked on identifying Regions and Wards to serve as the target area for LIFE-AR investments in the Test and Evolve Phase. There are moves to further identify communities for the same purpose. A consultancy on Baseline Study and Vulnerability Assessment through which communities will be identified is being planned. The investment process is expected to emanate from the community planning process and the Design Note Development that are now begun.
