Gambia: National adaptation programme of action (NAPA) on Climate Change

This publication presents The Gambia’s National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA) on Climate Change, outlining the country’s most urgent adaptation priorities in response to current climate variability and projected climate change impacts.
Prepared in 2007 through a nationally led and highly consultative process, the NAPA assesses The Gambia’s vulnerability to climate hazards such as rising temperatures, increased rainfall variability, sea-level rise, flooding, drought, and coastal erosion. Given the country’s low-lying geography and heavy reliance on climate-sensitive livelihoods, particularly agriculture, fisheries, forestry, water resources, and tourism, the publication emphasizes that climate change poses a direct threat to development, poverty reduction, and human security.
The document identifies key climate risks and their adverse impacts across sectors, highlighting systemic and cascading effects on food security, water availability, ecosystems, public health, infrastructure, and livelihoods. It reviews existing adaptation practices, identifies gaps in adaptive capacity, and outlines barriers to effective implementation, including limited financial, technical, and institutional capacity.