AV-STEC Project – Addressing Climate Vulnerability Through Nature-Based Solutions

The AV-STEC (Addressing Vulnerabilities Through Strengthening Transdisciplinary Engagement and Collaboration) project is a transformative climate resilience initiative focused on communities along the Volta Basin in Ghana and Burkina Faso, who are increasingly vulnerable to recurring flooding, particularly from the annual Bagre Dam spillage. Since 1999, this controlled release of water in Burkina Faso has resulted in destructive floods across more than 28 districts in Ghana, impacting infrastructure, farmland, livelihoods, and access to essential services.

Driven by the growing threats of climate change and erratic rainfall, AV-STEC aims to co-develop and implement nature-based solutions that enhance the resilience of wetland and riparian communities. The project brings together scientists, policymakers, and local communities to promote inclusive, sustainable, and locally owned adaptation strategies.

Through transdisciplinary collaboration, AV-STEC addresses both the ecological and social dimensions of climate vulnerability while empowering communities to lead in building long-term resilience.

Project Objectives:

The AV-STEC project is guided by six core objectives:

1. Assess current climate-related vulnerabilities in wetland and riparian communities.
2. Identify enablers and barriers to community adaptation efforts.
3. Co-develop inclusive and nature-based adaptation strategies with local stakeholders.
4. Pilot practical, locally tailored livelihood interventions.
5. Strengthen local capacities and raise climate awareness across stakeholder groups.
6. Disseminate lessons learned to inform policy, scale interventions, and foster knowledge exchange.

The project also addresses eight key research questions to inform evidence-based action, including the role of wetlands in livelihoods, interactions between dam operations and climate impacts, gender-responsive adaptation strategies, and transferable lessons for regional resilience planning.

Implementing partners:

• CBCR
• University of Ghana
• York University, Canada
• Start International, USA
• Naturama, Burkina Faso

Funding partners:

• CLAIRE
• International Development Research Centre (IDRC)

Starting Date: January 2025

Ending Date: December 2026

Work Packages: Wetlands

Location:

• Wetland and riparian communities along the Black and White Volta Rivers
• Targeted areas in Upper East, North East, and Savannah Regions of Ghana
• Selected sites in Burkina Faso