Background

Although their exact timing and magnitude are uncertain, most weather events are predictable. Agricultural production in many parts of Africa is affected by natural climate variability and is likely to be significantly compromised by climate change through the higher incidence of drought, erratic rainfall and damaging high temperatures.

Vision

The African Risk Capacity (ARC) was established as a Specialized Agency of the African Union (AU) to help Member States improve their capacities to better plan, prepare and respond to extreme weather events and natural disasters, therefore protecting the food security of their vulnerable populations.

[caption id="attachment_419" align="alignright" width="900"] DG Mohamed Béavogui of ARC and Minister Adama Koné of Côte d’Ivoire sign a Memorandum of Understanding in on the fringes of the World Bank Annual meetings in Washington DC Photo dated Date: 5 October 2016 Photo credit: Nathan Kone[/caption]      

Reprinted from the original article in This Is Africa. We are experiencing the highest level of humanitarian need since the Second World War brought on by conflict, climate change, rapid urbanisation and, in part, the legacy of a rigid development model. In this interconnected world, our problems are shared and so must our solutions be.

African Risk Capacity has won yet another award, this time from Capital Finance International (CFI.co) the business, economics and finance journal focused on the convergence of developing and developed economies. ARC was named Most Innovative ESG Risk Protection Provider in Africa for 2016 with the judging panel giving the below comments:

“The CFI.co judging panel commends ARC on its proactive and solidly coordinated approach to risk management in Africa. The company’s services replace the ad-hoc response hitherto given to natural disasters.