The livelihoods of East Africans largely depend on access to and protection of their natural resources, including wildlife. When those resources are threatened, poverty grows. Rising temperatures, fluctuating rainy seasons and extreme weather events affect many in the region, especially those engaged in agriculture, fishing and pastoralism. These factors diminish incomes and impair access to food, health care, electricity, safe drinking water and sanitation services – undermining and potentially reversing development progress.

The PREPARED program works with the East African Community (EAC) and its Partner States to adopt resilient strategies that can lessen the impacts of a changing climate. PREPARED strengthens the management of freshwater ecosystems shared across borders (between local governments or countries) and improves access to and supply of drinking water and sanitation services. This activity also pilots innovative approaches to reduce the staggering level of wild animal poaching and has introduced new monitoring tools to mitigate human-animal conflicts that can destroy farmers’ crops and livestock.