AEDS undertook a Community-based Climate Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment (CVCA) implemented for Mercy Corps in Zimbabwe (2023–2024). In this assignment, AEDS successfully led a multidisciplinary team of researchers to assess climate-related risks, vulnerabilities, and adaptive capacities at community level, with a strong focus on informing inclusive and evidence-based adaptation planning.

The assignment involved the systematic identification and analysis of climate hazards, exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity across diverse agro-ecological and socio-economic contexts. The assessment integrated local and indigenous knowledge with scientific climate data, livelihoods analysis, and socio-economic profiling to understand differentiated impacts of climate change on women, youth, and other vulnerable groups.

The CVCA examined the links between climate variability, land degradation, water stress, food security, and livelihoods, and identified priority risks affecting household and community resilience. The study further analysed existing coping and adaptation strategies, institutional arrangements, and service delivery mechanisms, highlighting gaps and opportunities for strengthening community-driven and ecosystem-based adaptation responses.

The findings were synthesised into actionable recommendations that directly informed context-specific adaptation planning and resilience-building interventions, including climate-smart agriculture practices, nature-based solutions, livelihood diversification, and community-level risk management measures. Outputs from the assessment were used by Mercy Corps to guide programme design, targeting, and investment prioritisation in climate-vulnerable landscapes.

Reference: Edmond Musegedi, Programme Coordinator, Mercy Corps. Email: emusegedi@mercycorps.org