Ecuador's agriculture and food sector is highly vulnerable to climate change, with rising temperatures and shifting rainfall patterns threatening productivity and food security. Between 2000 and 2017, climate-related events caused losses equivalent to over 70 per cent of agricultural production in the coastal region and 23 per cent in the highlands. Projections linked to the El Niño phenomenon anticipate longer droughts in the Central Highlands and more intense flooding in the Coastal and Southern Andean regions, disproportionately affecting vulnerable rural populations.
The project aims to reduce climate risks across 115 parishes in 11 provinces, directly benefiting 347,482 people and indirectly reaching an additional 630,377. Building on the successful FORECCSA project, funded by the Adaptation Fund, this initiative scales up proven approaches and expands their transformative impact on food security and climate resilience.
Structured around three interconnected components, the project will implement climate change adaptation measures to reduce climate risk; strengthen production systems to improve market access; and consolidate territorial governance mechanisms, all with a strong emphasis on food security and gender equality. Women's participation is a strategic priority across all components, with a target of at least 30 per cent of beneficiaries being women.
Prioritised as a national initiative, the project reflects strong country ownership and demonstrates locally led climate action by building on territorial adaptation planning, strengthening local governance mechanisms, and enabling local actors to co-design, implement, and sustain adaptation measures.
