THE United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) yesterday launched a $12m (33bn/-) disbursement fund for the local climate adaptive living facility.

Aine Mushi, the UNCDF country coordinator, said that the new phase will build on the successes of the first phase in Kondoa, Chamwino and Mpwapwa districts in Dodoma Region.

It will similarly be used to expand operations in climatically vulnerable coastal regions, including Zanzibar, by 2027, as UN agencies assist the government in rolling out effective plans aimed at combating the impacts of climate change.

Over 10,500 people in increasingly arid areas of Dodoma have benefited from community-identified projects designed to help them adapt to climate change, she said.

Funded by the European Union (EU) and Sweden, the planned climate-smart community projects are designed to facilitate investments in water infrastructure and climate-smart agriculture to enhance rural livelihoods.

"Other initiatives will include coastal protection efforts, along with raising climate awareness and building capacity at the community and local government levels," the coordinator noted.

Christine Grau, the resident EU ambassador, underlined that while climate change is a global crisis, its effects are felt locally, making community-level resilience building crucial.

The EU is working with Belgium and Ireland bilaterally as part of the blue economy Team Europe Initiative (TEI), collaborating with Tanzania and UNCDF to empower vulnerable communities to respond and adapt to climate change, she stated.

The projects go back to 2022, utilising performance-based climate resilience grants to allocate financing to local governments through national fiscal transfer systems, she elaborated.

Dr Kemilembe Mutasa, the Vice President's Office (VPO) director of environment, hailed the long association with UNCDF funding, asserting that the new phase will significantly enhance government initiatives in climate change adaptation.

"This is great news for us as the government collaborates with various stakeholders in efforts to mitigate climate change effects," she added.