This panel discussion will bring together a diverse group of stakeholders, ranging from high-level government officials to community leaders, to discuss how investments in nature-based solutions facilitated through a Water Fund will help Freetown and the Western Area Peninsula tackle water scarcity and resilience challenges.

Over the past two years, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) have been working with more than a dozen local and national partners in Sierra Leone to lay the groundwork for the Western Area Peninsula Water Fund, which will facilitate investments in nature-based solutions for the protection and restoration of the Western Area Peninsula National Park (WAPNP), ensuring the sustainability of the Western Area Peninsula’s water supply for future generations.

As a first step towards establishing the Water Fund, a Business Case demonstrating the potential economic impact and expected benefits of a water fund supporting land conservation measures in and around the WAPNP has been developed. Additionally, a number of pilot demonstration projects are currently underway and the governance structure of the Water Fund is being established.

This discussion will bring together a diverse group of stakeholders, ranging from high-level government officials to community leaders, to discuss how investments in nature-based solutions facilitated through a Water Fund will help Freetown and the Western Area Peninsula tackle water scarcity and resilience challenges.

Au cours des deux dernières années, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) et The Nature Conservancy (TNC) ont travaillé avec plus d’une douzaine de partenaires locaux et nationaux en Sierra Leone pour jeter les bases du Western Area Peninsula Water Fund, qui facilitera les investissements. dans des solutions fondées sur la nature pour la protection et la restauration du parc national de la péninsule de la zone occidentale (WAPNP), assurant la durabilité de l’approvisionnement en eau de la péninsule de la zone occidentale pour les générations futures.

Comme première étape vers l’établissement du Fonds pour l’eau, une analyse de rentabilisation démontrant l’impact économique potentiel et les avantages attendus d’un fonds pour l’eau soutenant les mesures de conservation des terres dans et autour du WAPNP a été développée. En outre, un certain nombre de projets pilotes de démonstration sont actuellement en cours et la structure de gouvernance du Fonds pour l’eau est en cours de mise en place.

Cette discussion rassemblera un groupe diversifié de parties prenantes, allant des hauts fonctionnaires gouvernementaux aux dirigeants communautaires, pour discuter de la manière dont les investissements dans des solutions fondées sur la nature facilitées par un fonds pour l’eau aideront Freetown et la péninsule de la région occidentale à faire face à la pénurie d’eau et aux défis de résilience.

Host: Catholic Relief Services (CRS)

Freetown, Sierra Leone

Session Summary

In this session, attendees were introduced to the Freetown Regional Water Fund which aims to provide the city of Freetown, Sierra Leone with a long-term solution to the problem of water scarcity. The Water Fund is mandated with the task of protecting Sierra Leone’s water resources and to do so through public-private partnerships.

Through a video featuring Joanna Kaine, a slum dweller and community leader in Freetown, attendees were shown the challenges surrounding water access in Freetown. Water is scarce in Freetown due to a number of issues such as vandalism of water infrastructure, the strain on the water supply due to population increases and a lack of water infrastructure which means households are often forced to commute to find water.

The Water Fund hopes to establish a guide that other cities can use in their climate adaptation efforts. They encourage the use of nature-based solutions that are powered by green technology. Green technology allows them to track the effectiveness of solutions implemented. This tracking process requires community ownership of the project and community-led environmental stewardship and innovation. The final element is sustainable financing, particularly in the context of carbon offsets.

Overall the session not only provided insight into the Freetown Regional Water Fund but into the interconnectedness of climate resilience.