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Djibouti

Djibouti strengthens early warning systems

for climate resilience

In Djibouti, climate change is reshaping daily life. Er-
ratic rainfall, intensified and prolonged heat waves, and
flash floods are directly affecting food security and agro-
pastoral livelihoods.
Rural communities are finding it increasingly difficult to
access climate-sensitive resources, such as groundwater
for drinking and livestock, pastures for grazing, and pro-
ductive land for small-scale agriculture.
According to climate projections, average temperatures
across Djibouti will increase between 0.6°C and 2.4°C by
2050.
But with early warning systems, rural communities can measures.”
react and adapt.
An effective strategy to reach remote or underserved
Turning climate data into action communities is to strengthen last-mile communication,
Early warning systems and climate risks were at the cen- ensuring that vulnerable people can access and act on
ter of discussions at a high-level national workshop held climate information (such as early warnings and fore-
in Djibouti City on 12 February 2026. The event attracted
40 participants from government institutions, technical casts) before disasters strike.
agencies, universities and UN agencies. “If you can get the data into the farmers’ hands, they can
Experts presented the results of the climate risk stud- adjust when they plant, they can adjust what they plant,
ies, discussed vulnerabilities in key sectors – including they can adjust when they harvest,” said Kaveh Zahedi,
agriculture, water, food security and infrastructure – and Director of the Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and
identified gaps in existing early warning systems. Environment in an interview with Reuters.
The workshop was organized by the Ministry of Envi- Closing the gaps in early warning
ronment and Sustainable Development and FAO as part
of a Green Climate Fund (GCF)-funded readiness project In the months leading up to the workshop, FAO con-
aimed at boosting access to climate finance for adaptation ducted over 400 surveys, gaining critical insight into how
action. climate hazards threaten livelihoods and well-being in
The event also supported the Early Warnings for All Djibouti City and rural areas.
initiative – launched in 2022 by the United Nations Sec- After assessing people’s climate information needs, the
retary-General, António Guterres – to ensure that every team identified the most effective communication chan-
person on Earth is protected by early warning systems.
nels to deliver real-time weather alerts to people living in
Reacting in time the Dikhil and Tadjoura regions.
“Early warning systems are a key tool for protecting This was a critical step in bridging the gap between
populations, preserving livelihoods and reducing eco-
nomic losses linked to climate-related disasters,” said the those who produce climate information and those who
FAO Representative in Djibouti, Kwami Dzifanu Nyarko- use it. With this information, the Government of Djibouti
Badohu. can use coordinated climate services and inclusive early
“The shift from reactive crisis management to an ap- warning systems to protect the lives and livelihoods of
proach based on anticipation and prevention is now es- those on the front lines of the climate crisis.
sential, given the accelerating pace of climate change,” The workshop furthered the development of a larger
explained Nyarko-Badohu. investment proposal for a multi-hazard early warning sys-
The need for timely and actionable weather and climate tem based on people-centred climate services tailored to
information is echoed in a recent joint report by FAO and the most at risk populations’ needs.
the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). Accord-
ing to the findings, effective early warning systems and The readiness project in Djibouti is part of FAO’s USD 2
agrometeorological advisories “can help farmers, fishers, billion portfolio of GCF climate investment initiatives that
herders and foresters anticipate risks and take preventive serve over 60 million people in 99 countries.
16 Arab Agriculture 2026