1. Calibrated and ground-truthed models should be used to evaluate the effectiveness of a suite of proposed NBS interventions in specific prioritized collines, to evaluate their return-on-investment before designing any implementation plans. Once model results are validated, investment in nature-based solutions (NBS) may include restoring coastal wetlands, allowing forests to regrow, and switching to restorative agricultural practices, such as cover crop rotation, that support healthy soils planting trees and establishing green infrastructure in urban areas such as urban streets, gardens, adding more greenspaces in public places. Stakeholder engagement will be crucial in the design phase to ensure that NBS activities proposed and modelled are appropriate for the local context and that they are likely to be sustained over the long term.

By using natural systems to provide critical ecosystem services, nature-based solutions (NBS) can provide a cost-effective and flexible approach for disaster risk and water resource management

2. Invest in climate research and development in Burundi, which requires using of the latest technological devices, robust scientific methods, and innovative software/tools to regularly collect data and analyze to inform policy decision-making processes. Building capacity among relevant institutions in Burundi is a prerequisite to carry out the data collection, prioritization, and planning steps that will be necessary to design for example, effective NBS programs. Also important is promoting knowledge sharing among the different communes who are designing programs in order to build a base of shared know-how and streamline future planning efforts. Equally, the government can organize ‘mapathons’ to innovatively gather relevant data to map critical infrastructures such as schools, hospitals and shelters. Similarly, the government can establish a national database for tracking climate/disaster impacts from colline to province levels in Burundi. In addition, there is a need to conduct further research on the conflict trends to have a more granular understanding of the situation in relation to the nexus of climate/environmental degradation, lack of resources and conflict. Finally, incorporate climate scenarios into the long-term planning of the energy infrastructure

The initiative addresses climate research priority areas that have been identified in Africa by African researchers

3. Invest in climate-smart agricultural practices, which include sustainably increasing agricultural productivity, adapting and building the resilience of agricultural and food security systems to climate change in Burundi.

Continuing political conflict and climate change contribute to malnutrition and hunger crises in the East-African country.

4. Conduct detailed modeling of flood risk at the scale of province, communes, and colline levels, using finer spatial resolution datasets to improve accuracy and adequately inform the appropriate flood risk mitigation strategies to be considered for implementation. Implement measures to strengthen houses and build back better with climate-resilient materials; avoid constructing houses in hazardous areas, e.g., where flooding is already a hazard and projected to worsen (Cibitoke, Bubanza and Bujumbura Mairie and Rural). Focus on improving urban planning – building back with climate-resilient materials and strengthening existing housing and shelters – particularly when it comes to mitigation and adaptation measures for internal displacement due to climate extremes.

The challenges and considerations of modelling flood risk. This video discusses the key aspects of modelling flood risk

5. Improve Burundian’s resilience to diseases such as malaria; undertake additional modelling to understand how other mosquito-borne diseases might increase in transmissivity under climate change

For decades, scientists have been predicting that climate change will escalate the transmission of diseases such as malaria, yellow fever, and encephalitis.

5. Improve Burundian’s resilience to diseases such as malaria; undertake additional modelling to understand how other mosquito-borne diseases might increase in transmissivity under climate change

For decades, scientists have been predicting that climate change will escalate the transmission of diseases such as malaria, yellow fever, and encephalitis.

6. Monitor and manage water quality in Lake Tanganyika and across Burundi to conserve water bodies as a resource into the future.

Four African countries have come together to discuss ways in which Lake Tanganyika, the second largest lake in the world can be protected from destruction owing to the negative impact that climate change is having on ecological systems around the globe.

7. Consider climate-resilient solutions and develop community-level contingency plans in future and ongoing projects on the improvement of infrastructure (such as electrification) where landslide and flood risk are high. Implement community engagement measures – especially for youth – to mitigate the increased risk of pockets of fragility in unplanned areas around urban settlements.

Introducing Initiative and awareness of environment for the community in Burundi

8. Create conditions for income-generating activities in rural areas by restoring the land in the degraded collines, improving productivity with climate-smart practices, and diversifying income to mitigate internal displacement due to recurrent droughts.

FAO Burundi has been supporting the harmonious reintegration of returnees in the southern provinces of Makamba, Rutana and Bururi