Adaptation Fund (AF) for sharing lessons and experiences from adaptation projects has facilitated a “Country Exchange” during the previous week (May 6 -10) in Chile, partnering with its accredited national implementing partner in the country, the Agencia Chilena de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo (AGCID). The five-day exchange brought together eleven AF-accredited national implementing entities (NIEs) from Antigua and Barbuda, Armenia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Federated States of Micronesia, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Senegal, South Africa, and Tanzania. Director of “Environmental Projects Implementation Unit” Mr. Meruzhan Galstyan was representing Armenia during the exchange program. The country exchange which was focused on the themes of “Water Management and Agriculture” allowed participants to interact and engage directly with stakeholders involved in the projects. During discussions, participants shared their own project experiences and knowledge, which made learning a two-way process. Moreover, during the five-day exchange program, Mr. Meruzhan Galstyan has signed and handed over “Strengthening land-based adaptation capacity in communities adjacent to protected areas in Armenia” project agreement to the Manager of the Adaptation Fund Board Secretariat Mikko Ollikainen. This project is aimed to reduce the climate risk vulnerability of local communities and reinforce their institutional capacity for climate change adaptation. This type of country exchange programs helps to build national adaptive capacities of countries and build country ownership in the specific field.
